


The Problem Here

by MarisaKateBella



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-19
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-05 04:44:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 108,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1089761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarisaKateBella/pseuds/MarisaKateBella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate Hawthorne was never prepared for the zombie apocalypse. She didn't know the first thing about skinning an animal, and she'd never touched a gun. But with a strong will to survive even she has made it this far. When she meets up with a strange man named Daryl Dixon who leads her to safety she doesn't know what to think, but as impending threats draw them closer together will their combined stubbornness drive them apart? Or will circumstance force them to interact? And maybe, underneath all the craziness the world has come to, people can still be beautifully human. (Picks up in the middle of season four and deviates from there. Prison group included with an even focus on all characters. I try to spend a little time with everyone because I love them all so much.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beggars and Barterers

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is something I wrote for myself for fun and decided I would post it since there isn't much Walking Dead fanfiction out there. It starts right at the midseason of season four, because I was sick and tired of reading "Seasons 1-3 with my original character in it!" Anyways, the only thing that's different is it starts right before the midseason finale and is going to deviate from there, (aka, characters who died in the midseason finale are still alive, call it denial but whatever.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story. Constructive criticism and praise are always appreciated. I hope you enjoy!

 

 

  
_Just when we are safest, there's a sunset-touch,_  
 _A fancy from a flower-bell, some one's death,_  
 _A chorus-ending from Euripides--_  
 _And that's enough for fifty hopes and fears_  
 _As old and new at once as nature's self,_  
 _To rap and knock and enter in our soul,_  
 _Take hands and dance there, a fantastic ring,_  
 _Round the ancient idol, on his base again--_  
 _The grand Perhaps! We look on helplessly._  
 _There the old misgivings, crooked questions are--_  
 _This good God--what he could do, if he would,_  
 _Would, if he could--then must have done long since:_  
 _If so, when, where and how? some way must be--_  
 _Once feel about, and soon or late you hit_  
 _Some sense, in which it might be, after all._  
 _Why not, "The Way, the Truth, the Life?"_  
-“Bishop Blougram’s Apology” _by Robert Browning_

  
  
  
**CHAPTER ONE**

_Barters and Beggars_

***

_Rustling._

It always started with rustling.

Kate woke up with a start, her harsh breath the only sound she heard, but she knew something else was out there. After so long on the run she had learned to go on a hunch, even if that was her sleep addled brain telling her there was something outside. Slowing her breathing she rolled over onto her side, her hand going quietly around the handgun underneath her jacket, which had been serving her as a makeshift pillow. She tightened her grip and sat up, peering through the crack in the tent flap towards where she thought she had heard the sound coming from. All she could see was the trees that lined the edge of her camp and the embers of the fire from the night before. Still, her flesh crawled and she couldn’t stop the thought that there was a creature lurking close. Her blood sounded in her ears as she held her breath.

And waited...

_Rustling._

Her breathing hitched, and she moved her shaking hand into her lap. Clicking the hammer down on the gun, she flinched at the noise which sounded like a firecracker in the unnatural stillness of the woods. She closed her eyes and let out a small breath in preparation before moving towards the opening of the tent, bracing herself for the unpleasant view that would greet her outside. Without pausing to think about it she opened the flap and crawled out on all fours while trying to hold the revolver one hand. It inevitably ended with her getting tangled in the mesh-plastic of the tent and making a god-awful racket. She righted herself quickly, adrenaline slipping through her body like an energy shot. When she straightened up she raised her pistol to find that the sleek black barrel was pointed directly in between two blue eyes, who were staring, relatively unfazed, down the muzzle of the gun from across the clearing. They were definitely human, and most importantly: alive; twinkling blue in the little bit of sun that managed to break through the trees around Kate’s encampment.

“Who the hell are you?” Kate asked, her voice shaking less than her hands, which held the heavy weapon between her and the intruder. Her heart was jumping around in her rib cage, this man was unknown, and she was all alone, since this whole thing started she had never run into another person on her own. Instincts told her to keep the gun between them but all she wanted to do was throw it down and wave her white flag.

“I coulda asked ya’ the same thing,” The stranger said, blinking to dislodge long pieces of dark hair from his eyelashes. As soon as she had stepped out from the tent he had already trained his crossbow on her, standing sideways so that he could aim. He licked his lips and shuffled around a bit, getting into a better position for if he had to shoot, though he looked reluctant to pull the trigger. Kate figured if he hadn’t done so by now he wasn’t going to put a crossbow bolt between her eyes with no reason. But then again this world had made everyone unpredictable. “Put that gun down, we both know you ain’t gonna fire it out here with Walkers crawlin’ about.”

Kate repositioned her hands on the gun so that her sweaty palms wouldn’t drop it, cupping it with one hand on the bottom, she swallowed. “Try me.”

The man’s eyes flicked past her to the small campsite without answering. Kate knew what he would see; one tent, a fire, a few pieces of still-drying jerky hanging from a string between two trees, laundry on a string across the way. His blue eyes found their way back to her, the question and guarded look somewhat dissipated. “You alone?”

She stared at him, sure by the way he was scrutinizing her he could see the desperate thrumming of her heartbeat against the thin skin of her neck. She clenched her jaw, not saying anything. Maybe if she could just stall…

“How many you killed?” The man demanded gruffly, his voice was like tires on gravel, though not in an unpleasant way. He chewed on a piece of his lip as he waited for her reply.

“What?” Kate replied dumbly, before she could stop herself she lowered the gun somewhat, her aim now at his chest, her grip slackening as she noticed the casual hold that the man had on his weapon, though she knew that with one wrong move she would be dead before she could blink. The wave of adrenaline began to ebb out of her system as her body registered that she was not in any immediate danger, and the roaring of blood in her ears subsided to a soft, distant sound of white static.

“Walkers. How many of them?” He looked back up at her, eyes narrowed and suspicious.

“I—I don’t know.” She answered, to caught off-guard to answer untruthfully. “A few. I have been lucky, mostly it was Ch—I haven’t killed more than twenty.”

“How many people?”

“What are you asking these questions for?” Kate demanded, folding her arms across her chest, completely forgetting about her weapon, now carelessly tucked against her ribcage.

The stranger’s grip tightened reflexively on his bow. “How many people have you killed?”

Kate flinched, “why?”

“Dammit woman, just answer the question.” The man drew his crossbow at eye level about the same time Kate pulled the gun back up, standing across the camp the two stared each other down. “I don’t wanna hav’ta kill ya’ but it’s the rules. Everyone’s gotta follow ‘em, and everyone new’s got to answer three questions. So go on,” he gestured at her with the crossbow, his voice was impatient, “how many?”

“Does it matter? You’re going to kill me anyways.” The tears came unbidden in the face of this fact. Just one glance at the sinewy muscles in the stranger’s arms and Kate knew that she was outmatched by far, her hands were shaking from fear and her arms were having trouble staying stretched out in front of her from fatigue. Even if she was a better shot, she had no way to fight off this man. The tears of frustration threatened to spill down her cheeks, barely containing themselves behind lower lashes. It wasn’t fair to have made it this far, only to be taken out by someone she didn’t even know—who wasn’t even a corpse.

“Whatcha crying for?” The stranger said in a strangled voice, dropping his crossbow down to his side in favor of shuffling his feet uncomfortably. “I ain’t gonna kill ya’ if ya’ just answer the damn questions!”

“If I do, can I ask you three in return?” Kate lowered her pistol as well, careful to keep her finger poised near the trigger.

“You ain’t in no position to be bartering.” The stranger pointed out, and Kate begrudgingly agreed in the back of her mind. He was skinny, but corded with muscle, obviously pretty well fed, unlike her. Even if she was any good with a gun he was right: it would just bring more of those foul creatures down upon her.

“Leave. It doesn’t matter, I won’t come after you.” It was true, what means did she have to try and follow this man wherever he was headed? It would bring her nothing in the end anyways, except for maybe a quick death by a bolt from a crossbow.

“We’ve got food and shelter, it’s open ta anyone who wants it. Ya just gotta answer the damn question. That’s the rule. How many people have you killed?”

“As far as I’m concerned there are no rules anymore.” Her voice hitched on the last word and she swallowed.

The man snarled in frustration. “Just answer the questions, dammit. If ya’ tell them well enough, you can have yours.” He shifted his feet, crunching the dry leaves between his boots, dragging his bottom lips through his teeth he added a reluctant: “promise.”

She searched his face for a few precious seconds, her heart beating frantically in a staccato that she could swear everything in a mile radius could hear. At first the man purposely avoided her gaze, blue eyes darting around frantically, looking interestedly at the trees beyond the campsite, or up at the canopy above, anywhere but directly at her. Yet she continued to stare at him until he reluctantly made eye contact with her. Something twisted inside her gut, something that said: trust this man.

“One,” the sticky, clogged feeling in her throat made it come out like a choked sob. As soon as her mouth closed over the word she bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from crying in front of this man.

“Why?” Although his bow was still pointed at her face he was looking determinedly past her shoulder, as if his target was the tree behind her.

“She was m—my...friend...turned…bit…had too.”

The broken sentence made the man slip his eyes back to her. “What’s your name?”

“Kate Hawthorne.” She breathed, eyes glassy but without a hint of moisture on her face. She was glad he didn’t ask more of her. “Yours?”

“Daryl Dixon.” It was quietly spoken; without the complete silence in the woods around them she never would have heard it.

Swallowing, she stood up a bit straighter and put the gun down to her side. “I think we both know we aren’t going to shoot one another.” She flashed him a small friendly smile which he ignored in favor of jerking his head in an unrecognizable motion but he lowered his crossbow, so Kate figured he, at the least, agreed.

“So what’re your two questions?”

“I thought we agreed on three.”

“You already asked—“

“I didn’t—“ she started to interrupt indignantly.

“—what my name was.”

“That doesn’t—you can’t—“ she huffed, but the corner of her lip twitched a bit. “Alright fine. Two questions.” She relented breezily. “First things first: where is your camp?”

“We’ve got a jail up the trail a-ways, about a 10 mile trek from here, plenty of people, although some sort of cold took out a lotta folks not more than a week ago, graves are still fresh but the disease is gone, so you don’t gotta worry ‘bout that.” Daryl scuffed his boot into the dirt, fiddling with the string of his crossbow.

“Is it safe?” Kate whispered, her question carried over to Daryl on the breeze.

He looked up and found her staring intently at him, her eyes shining in the midday light, hopeful and tired. He nodded. A real up and down head movement, the friendliest thing he’d done since walking into her camp, Kate felt herself finally starting to relax. It wasn’t a smile, or something more open, but Kate doubted he ever even really smiled, the thin line of his lips more prone to scowls or dry humor.

“Can we—“

_Rustling._

Kate and Daryl both turned towards the sound and brought their weapons up. Out of the bushes walked a young woman. Her short, blonde hair was spiked up in the back from sweat, the ends ragged from where she had tied her hair in a ponytail and cut it all away. Her shirt sleeves were torn off against the midsummer Georgia heat and her build was short and muscular with strong arms and legs, her feet were incased in brown hiking boots and she wore her t-shirt tucked into a pair of high wasted jean shorts, on her left arm was a black band tattoo. At her heels bounded a strange looking dog, followed by a golden retriever. Her green eyes looked from Kate to Daryl and back again. “Kate, what’s going on?”

“You know her? It isn’t just you here?” Daryl turned so that he could switch between pointing the crossbow at Kate and the new arrival, who had drawn her gun and was pointing it at Daryl’s head calmly, pulling the hammer back with a hard stare. Obviously looking for a chance to shoot, but stayed by Kate’s insistence.

“Charlie, put it down!” Kate demanded sharply, her own weapon having lowered as soon as Charlie had stepped out of the bushes.

“I asked if you were alone!” Daryl snapped, acting as a cornered animal would.

Kate raised both her hands in a natural, pacifying manner, her palms facing towards Daryl. “I didn’t get a chance to answer you before. This is my best friend, Charlie. It’s just us, I swear.”

“Who is this guy?” Charlie snarled, her stance widening.

“His name is Daryl, he’s got what sounds like a pretty good set up to me. I think we should go with him, if he’ll take us?” Kate turned attentively towards Daryl who was watching the scene with observant, if not cautious, eyes.

“No, Katie, we agreed: not again.”

Kate looked over at Daryl, taking in his attire: his clothes were dirty but not the way hers were: her black tank top hanging loosely off her and on top of it she wore a loose mid-drift shirt that hung off one shoulder, the picture of the sea had long since faded or been obscured by stains on the white cloth but the black word’s “LET’S GET LOST IN PARADISE” were still as bold as they’d been the day she’d bought it. She wore dark jean shorts rolled up, showing long and slender legs with lean muscles and sharp knee bones, ending in a pair of black converse, her matted brown hair was plaited in a French braid down her back. “They probably have food, and shelter, and…water?” She turned to Daryl hopefully, willing him to confirm her assumptions.

Daryl gave another short spasm of his head which she interpreted as a yes.

“No.” Charlie spat, turning to Daryl, weapon still pointing between his eyes, she added, “Sir, you better just leave, we’ll be fine on our own.” The dogs gave soft growls as if to punctuate the point.

“Charlie, be reasonable.”

“Safety in numbers, man. Promise I don’t want no trouble but I can’t leave ya’ here alone with a good conscience.” He lowered his crossbow carefully. “If you want me ta leave I will.” His eyes trailed to Kate.

She had made her way to Charlie’s side and put a gentle hand on her elbow which was locked against the possible recoil if she had to shoot. It took a moment but between Kate’s murmured reassurances and with the pressure she was putting onto her arm, Charlie finally folded and hung her gun down at her side.

“So what? You just want us to up and follow this stranger to God knows where?” Charlie ran a hand through her already messy blonde hair.

Kate nodded.

Charlie searched her eyes for a few moments, her intense gaze boring into Kate, she stared back at her, her eyes wide and hopeful, begging her to trust this stranger.

“Alright,” Charlie said with a sigh, tearing her eyes from Kate so that she could look at the other man. “Daryl, is it? Lead the way.” Charlie held out her arm in front of her in what was a particularly sarcastic gesture.

“Ain’t ya’ gonna clean up your mess first?” Daryl gestured with his crossbow to their pitiful campsite.

“Oh, right. Yes. Just give us a moment.” Kate responded, laughing disjointedly at her own eagerness to be away. Her laughter was loud and Daryl flinched at the sound.

“And keep it down will ya? Walkers been crawling all over the place these past few days.” He growled.

Properly chastised the pair set about collecting their scant amount of items and loading them into the two backpacks they had with them. Charlie kept throwing scowling glances Daryl’s way but his back was to them, watching the woods, and for the first time in a long while Kate could feel her muscles relax a bit. “I told you hope was strong enough.” She said her voice light and cheery with just a hint of “I-told-you-so” as she sidled up next to Charlie. They began to take down the last of the tent and fold it up.

“I call it an accident; he didn’t mean to find us.” Charlie replied stubbornly.

“Say what you’d like,” Kate shrugged, “I knew we’d pull through.” And damn her, if that small smile she gave her didn’t make Charlie begrudgingly grin in return.

Once the tent was down and the last burning embers of the fire officially stomped out they turned to Daryl. “Um, Daryl?” Kate questioned, putting a hand on his arm to get his attention. He flinched out of her gentle fingers and twisted around to look at her. “I’m sorry if I startled you,” she drew her hand away and stepped back. “We’re ready to go; I just have to get one thing.”

Before Daryl could formulate a response she slipped off into the tree line and disappeared. Daryl stepped forward to follow her.

“Don’t,” Charlie said from across the camp. Daryl replaced his boot onto the already crunched leaves beneath his feet. “She’ll be back in a moment.” Daryl nodded and peered through the trees, putting his crossbow against his shoulder and taking aim at the darkness in the woods just in case. A few moments later Kate stepped back into the clearing leading two horses by their reins. One of the horses woofed softly and nibbled at the end of Daryl’s crossbow.

“Daryl, I’d like you to meet Andromeda and Perseus.” She gestured to the black mare and the bay gelding who followed, docile, behind her, even with her dog whipping in and out from beneath their feet. Once he realized he would get no rise from the horses the multi-colored dog made a beeline for Daryl, sniffing around his shoes and then staring up at him with unnerving two different colored eyes.

“What’s he lookin’ at me like that for?” Daryl said not looking away from the ice-blue and molten-brown color of the dog’s strange eyes.

“Jack, come here boy, leave Daryl alone.” The dog’s ears perked up and he bounded happily over to his owner where he stood, just reaching her knee. She bent down a bit so she could put a hand on his head, “he’s very friendly. Absolutely no use in a pinch, he would rather have those corpses throw a stick for him than take one down but he’s loyal to a fault and even if we wanted to leave him behind he’d just follow us.” Kate explained, smiling fondly at the dog who wagged his stumped tail happily as if in understanding. Kate then pointed to the young golden retriever sitting faithfully by Charlie’s feet. “That’s Taft, he’s a hell of a lot better in a pinch but an absolutely terrible guard dog, he can sleep through anything.”

“We’ve got a barn for ya’ horses, as long as ya’ willing to let the other use ‘em. I don’t care if the mutts tag along as long as they keep their yaps shut, but if Rick says no they’ve got ta leave.” Daryl bit at a piece of skin around his finger.

Charlie had come up to stand behind Kate, glowering imposingly over her shoulder at Daryl.

“The mutt can come but I’m not so sure about her,” Daryl amended, gesturing to Charlie who began to look as if she might try to kill Daryl with her bare hands, regardless of how well that’d work. Sensing the building tension in Charlie, Kate laid a calming hand on Charlie’s shoulder without moving her eyes from Daryl’s.

“Charlie, why don’t you get Annie ready and I’ll work on Percy? I’m sure Daryl has a ride not far off so that we can make good time for the prison before dark.”

“Got a bike about half a mile up the road, but first she’s gotta answer—“

“More than she could probably count. None. So that kind of negates the last question, don’t you think?” Kate snapped, tired and hungry and more than ready to be on the road.

Daryl blinked at the shorthand response.

“Now can we please get a move on before we loose the light? I wanna see if this prison is as good as you make it sound.” She gave Daryl a quick wink and turned to physically push Charlie into action. After a moment Charlie started out of her staring contest with Daryl and turned to tighten the girth on the black horse.

The small group headed off in the direction Daryl indicated, with Taft trotting faithfully next to Charlie and Jack lopping ahead, circling back whenever he felt he’d got to far or that someone was starting to stray. After the fourth or fifth time Jack did this Daryl spit at the dog as he ran by him to the back of the group, “if that mutt doesn’t calm down—“

“He’s a herding dog. It’s his job to make sure everyone stays together and on the move. It’s a good trait to have, at the very least.” Kate defended as she watched Daryl track Jack around another circuit with his blue eyes. Daryl made a noise of frustration deep in his throat which was answered by a huff of annoyance from Charlie.

“It’s like talking to one of them corpses,” Charlie stage whispered to Kate, who shot her a disapproving look but didn’t say anything. Charlie shrugged and rubbed one of Annie’s ears as they walked. “I know, I don’t like him very much either.” The horse made no response, but Kate watched as Daryl’s shoulders became tighter and she assumed he’d heard the snide comment.

“If you can’t play nice I’m going to leave you out here for those things,” Kate snapped pulling on Percy’s reins so that she was no longer walking side by side with Charlie. “Ignore her,” she half called to Daryl who was walking a bit ahead of her, “she just doesn’t warm up too quickly to new people now-a-days. This whole end of the world deal has everyone a bit jumpy, wouldn’t you agree?”

No reply.

“Well,” she laughed, though it was forced as she tried to mend bridges. “I’m sure you understand.”

Still the tight shoulders in front of her did not loosen, nor did he make any indication that he had heard her at all, so she decided to keep talking to fill that empty nervous cavern that had started to build in her gut at the thought of her two companions continuing to be hostile. Kate never liked violence, before this world went to shit she used to scoop up spiders on pieces of paper and take them outside to be released. Charlie was more of a ‘kill them as soon as they appear’ kind of person, and in post-apocalyptic world that translated to ‘trust no one.’

“I mean, I still hold out that there’s something good in this world, and Charlie is just bitter that you turned up and proved me right.” She smiled at Daryl who continued to look ahead, almost as if he was trying not to look at her out of the corner of his eye. She paused, seeing if someone would fill the silence only to be met by indifference. “You know, sometimes I feel like the only person who has retained any sense of manners and goodwill towards humankind. Just because the world’s gone to fuckville and back doesn’t mean we can’t all get along, we are all we have now. There aren’t many of us left, there can’t be. This thing would’ve been over a long time ago if that was the case, so we’re stuck with the other survivors now, we might as well get used to sharing the earth again. If seven billion of us could do it relatively successfully shouldn’t the remainder of us?”

“Does she ever shut up?” Daryl finally spoke but the question was directed to Charlie, who laughed at the indignant look on Kate’s face.

“Only if you have some food, and then she’s only quiet while she’s chewing.” Charlie answered.

Daryl huffed once, obviously amused.

“Excuse me; I was just trying to have a conversation.”

“Well, quit your yackin’ I can’t hear if there’s any Walkers ‘bout.”

“Yeah, you can relax. No use getting your panties in a twist, you’re the one who decided we were going to do this in the first place.”

“At least I got what I wanted,” she said with a triumphant smirk. This time Daryl looked over at her in confusion.

“Wha’?”

“You two finally on the same page.”

“Why do ya’ care if we get along?”

“Kate dislikes conflict,” Charlie supplied.

“Well, darlin’ you’re going to have to face the facts. The world’s gone to shit and there ain’t nothing but conflict anymore,” he spit as if to punctuate this sentiment.

Kate pointedly stepped over the wet spot on the ground, “hmph.” Kate sighed and leaned her face into her horse’s neck. “I still believe there is good out there, you’ve just got to find it in the little things. You can’t say that there is just bad in the world. What kind of world is that? We all would’ve offed ourselves a long time ago if that was the case. One of my favorite quotes is ‘smooth seas don’t make good sailors.’ You know? You gotta take the bad and learn from it.”

“Woman!”

“Kate!”

Percy snorted.

“What?”

“Shut up,” the other two insisted together.

“Well then, even at the end of the world apparently the patriarchy still wears the pants.”

Charlie rolled her eyes behind Kate’s back.

“We’re here.” Daryl said stopping in front of an unremarkable looking tree and sweeping aside a few vines to reveal a motorcycle underneath.

“Sick ride,” Charlie said reaching out as if she was going to caress the handle bars, but Daryl’s hand made it to the spot first and gripped possessively around the throttle.

“She was my brother’s.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Charlie paused to look at Daryl sympathetically, but Daryl had suddenly found himself very interested in pattern carved on the fabric of the throttle. “Damn if he didn’t have good taste,” Charlie’s hungry eyes roved over the vehicle’s smooth chrome exterior.

Daryl nodded and shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with the break wire instead of looking up at Charlie.

“Neat trick, with the camouflage,” Kate added, gesturing towards the bike and vines that now lay disregarded beside it.

“What?” Daryl questioned tiredly as both of the others looked at her with confusion.

She shrugged, “just saying stuff to say stuff.” She bit her lip and looked up at the two from below her eyelashes.

“Whatever Katie,” Charlie said, shoving her shoulder playfully. Daryl said nothing but knocked the kickstand back and began guiding the bike towards the tree line, avoiding Kate’s gaze the whole time.

“There is a highway just on the other side of these trees and beyond that is the jail. Final moment: if you wanna turn back and go your own way now’s your chance, but if ya’ wanna come there isn’t no goin’ back, once your part of tha’ group, you stay. Can’t have anyone wanderin’ off and revealing our defenses.”

Kate looked at Charlie, who had her mouth set in a hard line, in the way that said clearly to Kate that she did not want to be doing this. So she put a calming hand on Charlie’s upper arm before she turned back to Daryl and with a charming smile commanded: “Lead the way.”

Charlie sighed, defeated, while Kate smiled and kissed her cheek fondly. Then without preamble she turned and with one swift movement had her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself up and onto Percy who side stepped but stayed relatively steady under her soft hand. Annie whickered as Charlie mounted and landed gently on her back. Daryl threw his leg over the seat of his bike and revved the engine. Annie skittered sideways at the noise and Percy tossed his head, but otherwise the horses did not spook at the loud machine, the first unnatural noise besides gunshots that they had heard in a long time.

Under the cover of the engine Charlie leaned towards Kate. “Stop doing that.”

“Doing what?” Kate asked innocently.

“The whole ‘I’m going to try to make everyone as comfortable as possible thing you do.”

“I don’t do that.”

Charlie just looked at her impassively.

“Okay, fine. But he just seemed like he could use a friend. He’s not much for eye contact is he?” Kate half asked to herself, leaning in towards Charlie conspiratorially.

“I don’t think someone like him wants any friends.” Charlie said looking towards the man with the leather vest in front of them.

Kate followed her gaze, tracing the white outline of wings on his shoulder blades; she could see a tattoo peeking out from underneath the side of his sleeveless shirt. “Everyone wants friends, what else is the point if there aren’t people to care about?”

As if he could feel their eyes on his back, Daryl revved his engine and kicked off. Kate and Charlie put their heels to their horses sides and followed obediently behind. Daryl set the pace at a steady lope for the horses, slowly cruising in front of them, with the dogs trailing behind, their pink tongues hanging out and the pads of their feet making no sound on the asphalt as they all made their way towards the prison.


	2. Rest for the Weary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter is finally here. This has been sitting in my drafts forever, but I finally got through and picked out all the problems. Bare with me, I am using this story as an exercise for myself to better my writing in two ways; firstly with action scenes because I've never been really good at writing them and they are a very important part of any climatic piece in a story, especially in fantasy/sci-fi genres. The second thing I'm trying to improve is the way I write men, because damn do I have a hard time. But fortunately The Walking Dead has plenty of fascinating, well layered, and already flushed out characters that I can work with. If anyone has any suggestions or pointers, constructive criticism can go a long way! Please feel free to message me or comment below. Anyway, enjoy the story my lovely readers!

**Chapter Two**

_Rest for the Weary_

***

 

They covered ground in good time, as far as Kate could tell, which really wasn’t saying much since she’d always been a terrible judge of distance. But still, all was quiet on the roads, nothing stirring but the foliage that covered the now unkempt highways. Without tax dollars and workers the cement had begun to crack. Weeds pushed themselves through and sprouted along the splits in the road. The grass along the edge of the pavement was growing high and wildly, the forest beyond looked dark and ominous stretching out before them on both sides, seemingly without end, towards the horizon. The sun had begun it’s decent in the sky; casting long, dark shadows across the road they were travelling on, though the lack of sunshine did not drop the temperature. The heat was still cooking the highway, radiating up to wrap around Kate’s bare calves, which began to chaff against the saddle as they rode.

A thick layer of sweat coated Percy and Annie, making their fur shine. Looking to her left Kate saw Charlie riding beside her, her jaw clenched tightly and her eyes focused forward. Sweat dripped down into her eyes and she reached up with one hand to wipe them away, dragging her fingers down her shirt before gripping the reins again. Annie’s black coat gleamed like oil in the golden light, although foam had started to work up around where the reins rubbed her neck and where the saddle sat on her back. Kate couldn’t see as well from her position, but she knew that Percy must be in the same condition.

She glanced behind her to check on the dogs, whose pink tongues lolled out of their mouths as they panted behind. She noticed that they were farther away from the horses then they had been the last time she’d checked. Jack had quit circling around the group a while back she realized suddenly, a sign of him really tiring. She knew that Jack’s stamina was infinite—her throwing arm well acquainted with his abundant energy from when they used to play fetch. Taft was trotting along easily a little bit in front of Jack but he was also much younger.

Kate bit her lip and looked forward to the man on the motorcycle who was leading their little motley crew. She wondered what to do, her nerves playing the devil on her shoulder. The prison was so close, safety and rest not far from her desperate fingertips. Yet, she could feel Percy’s labored breathing throughout her own body, his stomach vibrating in heavy pants as he cantered, his snorts making the reins in her hands tremble. She knew that she had to get the horses and the dogs the break they needed, but she didn’t know Daryl…or more importantly: how he would react to asking for a stop so that the animals rest.

Breathing once, deeply, she pressed her heels gently into to Percy’s side. His pace didn’t change except that he kicked backwards lightly to show his annoyance, flicking his ears impatiently at his owner. Kate sighed and squeezing lightly again, rubbing soothing circles on Percy’s shoulder as she did so. “Come on, Perce, just a bit further.” With a snort the gelding increased his speed and they rapidly approached the man a short distance in front of them. When they were near enough she called out Daryl’s name over the sound of the motorcycle.

He looked over at her with a raised eyebrow and she simply pointed down to Percy, raising her own eyebrow in return. She saw Daryl’s lips press into a thin line and his jaw seesawed back and forth for a moment, his gaze looked towards the sun beginning it’s descent in the sky. He glanced at the sweating horse, sighed through his nose, and let off the gas, gently starting to roll to a stop.

Kate reined in Percy, who slowed to a walk almost immediately. She heard Annie’s clip-clopping behind her at a brisk gait and knew that Charlie had gotten the hint and pulled her up. Kate let Percy walk a few feet ahead of the bike, which was now idling in the middle of the road with a somewhat pissed looking Daryl still astride it. Kate turned in a circle and walked back towards the bike, pulling Percy up next to it. She dismounted, her feet hitting the ground at the same time the bike cut off.

“How long they need?” Daryl asked simply as soon as the sound of the bike no longer impeded their hearing.

Kate tied up Percy’s stirrup on the side she was on and loosened the girth a bit so that Percy could breathe. She rubbed his neck before ducking underneath it to go around and do the same thing on the other side. Running her hands along his chest and his sides she could feel the heat radiating from his tired body. Charlie approached, guiding Annie, whose stirrups were thrown over the saddle casually. Being an older horse Annie wasn’t in such great shape. “A few minutes at the very least,” Kate diagnosed, circling around behind Percy, her hand gliding along his back side fondly.

Daryl nodded his head, chewing on his thumbnail in thought. “I got sum lines up a few yards into ta’ trees over ‘attaway.” He mentioned offhandedly, “There’s a stream not too far past. Haven’t checked those traps today, was gonna hit ‘em on my way back anyways. I can lead tha’ horses to it, if ya wanna stay here and rest up.”

Kate nodded gratefully and pulled Percy’s reins over his head, handing them unhesitatingly to Daryl. He grabbed them and turned to Charlie expectantly, holding out his hand. He was met with her cool stare; her arm was wrapped around Annie’s neck, whose head was down as she panted onto the pavement. “I’ll go with you.” Mistrust was evident in her voice.

“Can’t, ya’ gotta stay here. Safer for the two of ya to be together.”

“Charlie, it’s fine, he’ll be right back. Right?” Kate fished, turning to Daryl with a bright and trustful smile. His gaze skittered away from her but he nodded. She turned to Charlie. “It’ll be fine. They’re in good hands.” She looked over to Daryl again as if punctuating her point; he was holding Percy’s reins lightly in his hand, Percy’s head was dipped down as he panted; his velvety nose a few inches from Daryl’s torso. Daryl’s free hand was rubbing in between Percy’s eyes, following the white fur of his blaze with blunt fingernails.

Charlie didn’t look wholly convinced and Kate watched her weigh her options in her head, after so long she could practically read the thoughts flitting through her mind, possibly because they were the same ones in Kate’s. What if Daryl is leading them on a wild goose chase? What if he’s going to kill them? Rob them? Steal their horses and leave them for nothing. Yet, he hadn’t. Why would he lead them so far away when he could’ve just robbed they blind back at the campsite and they would’ve been powerless to stop him? He may be a bit rough around the edges, an unpolished gemstone if you will, but Kate could sense—could just feel somewhere inside that it was alright. This was okay, trusting him.

Charlie would need some more time but Kate knew her resolve would eventually crumble, so she turned instead to the dogs who were lying in the grass just off the side of the pavement, trying to keep cool. She ambled over to them, leaving Charlie with her internal conflict and Daryl subtly enjoying petting Percy. She sat down in the grass next to Jack who immediately stood, licking her face as she sat down and promptly repositioned himself so he was laying half on her lap, his front leg and chest thrown over one of her criss-crossed legs. She stroked him behind the ears for a few minutes, her other hand scratching Taft’s back where he lay on her other side, panting heavily.

She felt something warm and sticky on her legs and before looking she knew what it was. Her stomach clenched with worry as she finally glanced down. Her thigh was dotted with smeared bits of blood.  She immediately scanned Jack’s white chest for signs of the red substance. When she didn’t find any there she looked on his completely white head, save one eye covered with an array of colors: brown, blacks, grays, and blues. There was nothing. She checked his gums and tongue but his mouth was also fine. She ran her hands down his multi-colored back and sides, down to the stump of tail and his short legs, finally she felt underneath him on his white belly. Her hands came back clean.

“Y’all! Something is wrong with Jack. He’s bleeding!” She turned around and called over her shoulder, where she saw Daryl and Charlie staring at each other in an impassive dominance contest. Both of their heads snapped towards her as she spoke and Charlie shoved Annie’s reins into Daryl’s hand without hesitation and jogged over. Daryl pulling the horses close behind.

“What? What’s wrong with him?” Charlie asked, bending over Kate to look worriedly at Jack, who looked up and licked her happily on the face.

“I don’t know, my leg has blood all over it, but he doesn’t seem hurt.”

Daryl scanned the dog quickly and then looked at the smear of blood on her leg. “Did ya check his pawrs?” He suggested.

Kate immediately picked up the closest of Jack’s white front legs and turned it over gently. The bottom of the paw was torn to shreds and slowly leaking blood. She quickly checked the others, they were irritated and pink, dry from the pavement, but otherwise unscathed. “It’s just the one.” She determined, looking back up at Charlie and Daryl in relief. With much hesitation she reached into her pocket and drew out her small knife. Pulling the fabric of her white shirt taut she put the blade to it.

“Whatre doing?” Daryl questioned, reaching down to stay her hand with his. “Don’t go cuttin’ up yer clothes.”

“He need something to cover it, I’m not going any farther unless he is okay.” Kate said determinedly, trying to keep the whine in her voice under control.

“S’not what I meant.” He replied gruffly, straightening up from bending over her. Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out a red handkerchief. “Here.” He handed it over to her, she reached for it gratefully. “S’not very clean but it’ll work till we can get ta’ the prison.”

“Thank you,” she said, laughing as Jack licked her face. “I think he’s saying thank you too.” She pushed the dog away affectionately.

“Welcome,” he replied after a long pause where he squinted at her in the dying sunlight, his eyes searching hers for something that she wasn’t sure of, but he seemed to find it because he nodded slightly to himself. “Ya want me to take the dogs with me too?”

“No,” Charlie cut in before Kate could say anything.

Kate narrowed her eyes at her, closing her mouth and shaking her head slightly.

“Don’t give me that look.”

Kate pursed her lips in annoyance.

“It makes more sense for us to keep them with us, just in case something happens.” She turned to Daryl. “We have a bowl for the dogs, if you could fill it?”

Daryl nodded and she turned to rummage in the back pack strapped to Annie, pulling out a silver metal dish and handing it to Daryl. He took it and stuffed it under one arm, holding the horse’s reins with the other hand. “A’right. I’ll be back shortly. If it starts gettin’ dark and I’m not back keep headin’ down the road a-ways, you’ll find the prison soon enough, we’re not far off. Ask for Rick, tell him I sent ya’.”

Charlie glanced at Kate who smiled at her and then turned to Daryl nodding seriously. He nodded back at her, clucked in the back of his throat to get the horses to follow and then disappeared into the tree line.  As soon as he did Charlie plopped down next to Taft on Kate’s other side, the tenseness of Daryl’s presence gone from her body, and laid in the grass. Kate watched as she plucked a piece of the long weeds and putting it in her mouth. She folded her hands behind her head and let her eyelids drift close over her hazel eyes. Kate leaned forward to bury her face in Jack’s bushy fur, folding her arms around him. She listened to his panting start to slow and then stop all together as he relaxed; putting his head on her knee, he sighed once and closed his eyes. She sat up and continued to stroke his soft, snowy head, watching Taft’s head rise and fall where he’d laid it on Charlie’s stomach.

She didn’t know how long they lounged like that: the sun had cast long shadows over them, shading them from the worst of the sun, which had halfway disappeared over the tops of the trees opposite where they were laying. There was a light breeze which rustled the tree tops in a soft sound that, if Kate closed her eyes, she could pretend was the sound of the sea. Something she had missed almost as much as hot showers and Thanksgiving day dinners. “Mmm, sounds like the ocean.” She commented.

Charlie cracked open an eye. “What are you on about?”

“The ocean, the sound of the leaves in the trees,” she explained. “It sounds like the ocean.” She pushed Jack over gently so that he would get off of her lap and she stretched out onto her stomach perpendicular to Charlie so that if Charlie turned her head she could see Kate’s face. She propped her head up on her hands and smiled. “Don’t you miss the ocean?”

“I miss cigarettes.” She harrumphed, letting her head loll to the side so she could look at Kate with one eye squinted against the sun setting behind her. “And my mom. Not the ocean.” She turned her face skywards again, closing her eyes.

“Sorry,” Kate sighed and picked at bits of grass. “I miss my family too.”

“At least you know you’re dad is alive.”

“I can’t know that anymore, I thought in the beginning…maybe, but it’s been too long.” She shrugged and swallowed thickly around the sudden obstruction in her throat, her eyes blurring the outlines of Charlie’s features. “Besides, he’s got Nathan and Susan to look after; he shouldn’t be looking for me anyway.”

“My mom wasn’t prepared for this. I should’ve been there.” Charlie confessed, her eyes were closed but she squeezed them tight and breathed through her nose.

“I know. We both should have been there.” Kate snaked a hand across the grass to grab hold of Charlie’s. They intertwined their fingers and squeezed gently before Kate pulled away again.

“I’ll keep watch if you want to get some shut eye,” Charlie piped up after a few more minutes of silence.

“That’s alright. I’m good for now; I was sleeping when Daryl found the camp.”

“Kate, what did I tell you about sleeping when no one is around?” Charlie said, immediately propping herself up on her elbows and fixing Kate with a disapproving glare.

“I know.” Kate mumbled, her gaze skittering away as Charlie faced her.

“Don’t do it.”

“I know!” She shouted a little bit louder then she meant and then sighed. “Sorry. I’m just hungry. And I was so tired earlier, I didn’t even care. I woke up as soon as I heard Daryl. I’m sure if it had been anything…else, I would’ve done the same.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I get it, it’s fine. I won’t let it happen again.”

Charlie nodded and lay back down in the grass. All was quiet for a while longer, both the girls lost in their thoughts. Charlie closed her eyes again and Kate watched the trees where Daryl had disappeared. Something tickled the back of her conscience and without explanation her stomach began to shift nervously. She turned around, scanning the flat land around her and peering into the shadows of the trees, her ears straining to pick up a sound that wasn’t the distant breeze through leaves. She saw nothing and told herself to calm down and relax when she heard a twig snap from behind her. Jack’s head popped up and Taft stirred in his sleep, his nose twitching and one lip curling upwards.

Kate poked Charlie in the side, who woke up with a groan of irritation. “Shhh,” Kate instructed, putting a finger to her lips. Charlie raised an eyebrow but she sat up slowly, her muscles tensing as she began to feel the goose bumps crawl up her arms. “I think I heard something.”

“Where?” Charlie whispered back, her hand going to the gun in the back of her pants. She pulled it out and clicked off the safety.

“Behind us,” Kate nodded her head where she’d heard the ominous noise but where everything had been quiet since.

“Are you sure it wasn’t Daryl returning?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You decide now is a good time to doubt my super-power hearing?”

“Just making sure, I was enjoying my nap.”

“It was something, I know it.”

The two women held their breaths for what felt like hours, but in reality could have been no longer than a few moments. Without warning a flock of birds burst out of the trees and flew into the sunset, their wings and cries filling the air with a chorus of sound. Both of them jumped slightly as they watched the birds become black specks in the orange and purple sky.

“See, I told you it was nothing.” Charlie brushed off, flipping the safety back onto her gun and tucking it away before folding her hands behind her head and lying down again.

“I don’t know, it sounded different than that.”

“Quit being paranoid. It’s fine, we haven’t seen any of those things in a few days, I’m not worried about it.”

Kate bit her lip but finally tore her eyes away from the trees behind them and began to fiddle with a leaf on the ground in front of her. “Charlie?”

“What Kate?” Charlie gritted out the side of her mouth, still chewing on the grass between her teeth, the sight so familiar it almost made Kate smile—though usually it was a cigarette—but the likeness was welcome anyways. She had missed the easy times, and the days when Charlie and her used to able to just talk and laugh; enjoy themselves in the setting sun. Instead they constantly snapped at each other, bickering constantly, and even though that had always been a part of their friendship she had enjoyed and appreciated the actual venom behind the words now was still relatively foreign to her and it made her hate this new world even more.

“It’s getting late. Do you think something happened to Daryl?” She asked, gnawing anxiously at her bottom lip.

“Don’t get me wrong, I completely believe the guy is a total sketch-ball, but…I think he can handle himself.”

“I know, but I can’t help worrying. I really don’t want to be here after dark.”

“If the sun goes down behind the trees before he gets back we’ll head out, ‘kay?” Charlie opened her eyes so that she could look at Kate after not hearing an affirmative from her. “Kate?” She was staring into the trees where Daryl had first disappeared. “He’s fine, the horses probably slowed him down, and he had to check his traps, remember?”

“We can’t show up at the prison without him. They’ll turn us away, or worse they’ll assumed we killed him!”

Charlie snorted and rolled her eyes at the dramatics her best friend was performing. “I don’t think anyone would think you killed someone.”

Kate’s eyes turned steely and her jaw clenched.

“Oh god, I’m sorry, you know how I am…no feelings and all, I forgot…” She sat up fully, crossing her legs and facing Kate.

“Yeah, well, lucky you that you can.”

“She asked you to do it.”

“I don’t care!” Kate snapped standing up suddenly. Jack leapt up next to her, watching intently to see if they would be on the move again soon.

Charlie flinched at the sound of her yelling and then sighed, putting her head in her hands and rubbing her eyes with the heel of her palms. Kate began walking towards the woods, Charlie’s head snapped up and she watched Kate’s retreating form. “Where are you going?”

Kate stopped at the edge of the trees, Jack bumping into her calves. The tense line of her shoulders sagged as she put her hand against a tree and let her head fall onto the trunk. Jack licked the fingers of her hand which hung down by her side. “No where,” she called over, wiggling her fingers by Jack’s nose, smiling slightly. Charlie stood staring at her with worry pressed into the creases between her eyebrows. Kate finally turned from Jack to give Charlie a reassuring smile, but it melted off of her face as soon as she looked up.

Charlie spun around, pulling her gun from her shorts as Kate’s eyes widened in fear and she stepped back, pressing herself against the tree. Just past Daryl’s motorcycle, which stood on it’s kickstand in the middle of the deserted highway, was a corpse stumbling towards them.

It’s raspy, dead vocal cords hiss and snarled, it’s jaw hanging open and rotting off of it’s face. The creature’s sockets were empty and the jelly eyes were both swinging from their optical nerves, smashing against rotted cheeks. Half of it’s arm was ripped off and it’s clothes were torn and bloody. As it shuffled across the pavement the smell of decay preceded it. Charlie flipped the safety off the gun with a shaking hand and held it up at eye level, she swallowed once and clicked the hammer back. Glancing quickly at Kate, who had knelt to hold onto Jack, she gathered herself up and turned back to face the slowly approaching monster. The gun went off and the walker stumbled for a moment before falling to the ground, hidden on the far side of the bike with just one awkwardly twisted leg peeking out. As the echo of the gun shot receded Kate ran over to Charlie. The women hugged frantically, pulling back only so that Kate could put Charlie’s face in her hands.

“Thank you.”

Charlie nodded and swallowed, “It’s the least I can do…for earlier.”

Kate scanned the trees, “I hope Daryl comes back soon. I want to get out of here.”

Charlie glanced up at the tree canopy. “Sun is almost down, why don’t we just get going, if we’re on foot he can catch up pretty quickly.”

Kate nodded, her lips set in a hard line of determination.  Kate whistled to the dogs. “C’mon, let’s get going!” They both bounded over to the women wagging their tails happily.

“I’m gonna go check and make sure that thing is dead, just in case, wouldn’t want to leave it scrambling around and making noise to attract others.”

Kate’s lips twisted up in a smirk, “I thought you didn’t like Daryl.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m going to leave him for walker bait.” Charlie shrugged, pulling out her knife from it’s case on her hip, and walked over to the bike, disappearing out of site as she ducked down to make sure the bullet went through the brain.

Kate stood on her toes to try to see over the top of the motorcycle from where she was at the edge of the road. Suddenly Charlie screamed and stood up, stomping rapidly on what Kate assumed was the creature’s head. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she took a few stumbling steps forward, fear weighing on her feet like anchors. Charlie’s foot came down one more time but got lodged in something Kate couldn’t see and threw her off balance. She grabbed hold of the bike to try to right herself but it couldn’t bare the weight and toppled over. Kate watched in slow motion as Charlie was thrown backward over the seat, flailing wildly, trying to find something to break her fall. Instead she landed half on top of the bike, her back bending awkwardly and her head smacking into the concrete.

“No!” Kate finally reached Charlie and fell to the ground next to her head, her knees hitting the pavement sharply. Her hands hovered just over the body, not knowing what to do. Every first aid class she’d ever taken said never to move a body that may have a spinal injury. And the way she had fallen made a spinal injury a very likely possibility. “Shit, shit, shit! Charlie! Charlie!” Kate touched her face softly, realizing she had passed out. A small pool of blood began to leak out from underneath her head out onto the black pavement and Charlie’s spiky blonde hair began to be dyed red.

Kate burst into frightened tears, petting Charlie’s hair back out of her face. Her hands were shaking and covered in her friend’s blood and she pressed the clean, backside of her hand to her mouth to hold in a sob, angrily brushing away the tears that had begun to fall. She began to slow her breathing so that she didn’t panic, her head had begun to feel light from fear and she knew she had to calm down immediately. She closed her eyes and took a few shuddering breaths until her body began to unwind itself. “Okay. Ok, ok.” She shook her sweaty and bloody hands, accidently smacking Jack in the nose, not realizing both the dogs were crowded around Charlie’s body. “Okay, breathing, check for breathing. Ohmigod, please be breathing.” Kate leaned forward and turned her head so that her cheek was above Charlie’s nose and she was looking down her chest. She saw it rise and felt the following warm breath on her cheek, it was shallow, but it was there.

She sighed in relief, a few more tears falling from her eyes and mixing with the blood that now covered most of Charlie’s face. Suddenly she heard something that made her stomach churn: the rattling breath of the dead. Her head snapped up and she saw four more walkers heading towards her, closer than the one had been before, the creature farthest in the lead only a few yards a way. She scooted backwards on her hands and feet, crawling like a crab until she had a good enough distance to turn her back so that she could scramble up.

The dogs were barking frantically, Jack was running in circles around the walkers, biting at their heels and darting out of the way as they reached down to grab at his long fur. Taft stood next to her, his growling vibrating her leg where his golden coat was pressed against her calf. She wiped her sweating hands on her shirt and pulled her gun out of her shorts, clicking the safety off and holding it up towards the corpses. She didn’t let herself think and just began to aim and fire. She managed to get the one closest to her in the neck.

“Shit,” she said as it stumbled but continued forwards, her hands shaking so badly that she could barely aim the gun. She fired again, this time catching the nearest one in the head. She watched it’s neck snap backwards as it’s knees went down and it collapsed in a heap, one of it’s companions tripping over it. She was able to get another shot into that one’s shoulder, but it stood back up and began to lurch forward again. She backed up a few paces to try and buy herself some time. She had three shots left, one for each. “Fuck, dammit. Ohmigod.” She knew that there was no way she was that good of a shot.

As she took aim at the nearest corpse another two stepped out of the trees. The five began to advance, the symphony of rasping snarls sending chills up her spine. Jack managed to bite the sleeve of one of the monsters, dragging it down, shaking his head and wiggling around happily as he did so, thinking it was no more than a tug-o-war game. “J—Jack! To me, heel! To me Jackie!” Her voice was high and frantic but Jack sprang back from the rotting woman in front of him and bounded happily for his owner, jumping over the side of the motorcycle, careful to avoid Charlie’s body, and circled around to stand by Kate.

She fired two more rounds back to back, managing to take down the rotting human on the right. “One more bullet,” she said to herself as she gritted her teeth and backed up a few more steps, her feet hitting the edge of the road. “One more.” She held the gun in front of her and took a breath, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them she noticed that the dead woman to her left that she was aiming for was crumpled on the ground, an arrow sticking up from between her eyes. Daryl was standing in the tree line with his foot on his crossbow loading another arrow. He quickly and efficiently raised his weapon and took out the closest creature. With one left that was directly in front of her she raised her weapon, her jaw clenching in determination.

“Git down!” Daryl commanded, and before she could think twice she found herself ducking, throwing her arms around the two dogs, and burying her face in Jack’s white neck fur. She heard the twang of the crossbow being fired and the subsequent thump of a body hitting the ground, meaning that the bolt had hit it’s mark. She cried softly into Jack’s fur for a moment, a few tears of relief leaking out of her eyes before she could even think. After a moment she heard Daryl run past her. “There any more?” He called.

She looked up when she heard his voice, calm in the aftermath of brief chaos. He was running up and down the tree line peering into the darkness, crossbow loaded and propped up on his shoulder. He turned and squinted back at her when he didn’t hear a reply. She shook her head and he nodded before turning back to continue checking the trees. After he was satisfied he ran back over to her and knelt down so that they were at eye level. He rested his crossbow on his knee and squinted at her. “You a’right?”

She nodded her head and wiped the back of her bloody hand across her face. “Sorry.” She sniffled, motioning vaguely to her tear-stained face.

“What happened?” He asked, ignoring her apology for the tears as he stood up and offered her a hand.

She took it without hesitation and he pulled her up. She realized as she stood that her knees were a bit weak and the adrenaline rushing out of her system was beginning to make her feel light headed. “Umm..” She moaned, putting her hand to her head and gripping Daryl’s other one more firmly. He flexed his arm to steady her.

“Ya sure ya’re a’right?” He said, his blue eyes cataloguing her wounds, nothing more than some scraps and bruises, but a lot of blood.

She nodded her head and dropped his hand. “I’m fine, but Charlie.” Her voice was distraught and she began to shake again.

He looked her over once more before jogging over to where Charlie was and kneeling down. He bent over her and then sat back on his haunches. “Still breathin’.”

“I know. She hit her head falling over your bike. She shot the first thing that came out, we didn’t know there was going to be more, but she didn’t hit the brain. She was stomping its brains out when she knocked the bike over and lost her balance. She smacked her head and I think she may have twisted her ankle but I don’t know,” her voice was high and distressed as she made her way over to Daryl, peering over his shoulder at Charlie’s pale face.

He nodded thoughtfully and the two of them stood over Charlie, watching her chest rise and fall for a brief moment. “Stay here, I’ve gotta go get tha’ horses. I left ‘em when I heard all the commotion.” He stood and she backed up quickly to get out of his way.

Her eyes were shining and wild with panic, they looked almost black her pupils were dilated so much and in the darkness of early evening he couldn’t even tell what color her eyes were. She was shaking her head rapidly back and forth, reaching out for him but then dropping her hands to her sides. “Don’t…don’t go.”

“I’ll be righ’ back.” He jogged off before she could protest.

It felt like hours as she stood there and waited for him to reappear, but in all actuality it was probably nothing more than a few minutes. She heard the rustling and whirled around on her heel to face it. When she spotted the leather jacket and dirty brown hair stepping out of the trees a bit away from where he originally disappeared, leading the horses, she sighed in relief. He walked up and handed her the horses’ reins. “I’m sorry.” She said quietly as he did so.

“Wha’ for?”

“Freaking out.” She mumbled, kicking a loose piece of pavement a few inches away from them.

Daryl’s gaze swept out over the dead bodies lying near. “Looks ta’ me like ya’ kept yer head pretty well,” he shrugged, “ya’ took out two Walkers, S’not bad.”

She smiled half heartedly, “I had a good teacher.”

His mouth twisted in what she guessed could be a smirk. He bent over again and went to put his arms under Charlie to pick her up.

“No! Don’t, she could have spinal injury.”

He turned to look at her over his shoulder, the little bit of amusement in his eyes gone. “Ain’t nothin’ for it. Gotta get her to Hershel.”

“Hershel?” Her question was ignored as Daryl slipped his arms under Charlie’s body and hoisted her up with a grunt. Kate watched in horror as blood dripped from the ends of Charlie’s hair on the back of her head. As Daryl walked past her she snapped out of her shock and went to Annie’s side, flipping the stirrups down as Daryl placed Charlie on the saddle. She grabbed Charlie’s leg and tried to tug it over to her side so that she was straddling the horse properly. “I hate your stupid dead weight, Charlie, this is the second time.” She muttered more to herself than her unconscious friend.

“Ya’ know what dead weight feels like?” Daryl questioned with a raised eyebrow as they worked together on opposite sides of the horse to get Charlie settled properly.

“Kinda. I mean, one time before this all happened, back in high school, Charlie fainted after donating blood. I tried to catch her. We both wound up on the ground.” She smiled a bit at the memory and Daryl snorted through his nose.

“Y’all knew each other in high school?”

She nodded.

“How old are ya?” He asked as they finally got Charlie into place, using some rope to secure her to the saddle.

Kate took the reins over Annie’s head and held them in one hand, gathering Percy’s from where she had dropped them to ground-tie him. “Twenty-four…and Charlie is twenty-three.”

“She youn’r than ya’?”

She laughed. “Yup, by four months, can’t you tell? What about you?”

“Thirty-nine sometime in the next coupla months, dunno when exactly.”

She smiled softly. “That’s okay, none of us do anymore.”

He dipped his head in acknowledgement before moving past her to his motorcycle.

“I’m sorry about your bike; I hope it’s not damaged.” She said to him, biting her lip as he picked it up off the ground.

He turned the key and the bike roared to life, he looked up her and this time a smirk definitely played on his features, squinting one of his eyes up and creating wrinkles around the corner.

She smiled back at him, and mounted Percy. “How much further?” She called over the sound of the vehicle.

“About two miles,” he answered over the noise of the bike. “Gotta make good time, we’re gonna loose the light, and yer friend needs ta see Hershel.”

“Who’s Hershel?” She yelled to him but he didn’t respond, kicking off and revving the engine instead. She sighed, smiling to herself before gently tapping Percy’s side with her heels. They began to move forward at a steady pace as the sun finally sunk all the way over the horizon, the only light beginning to disappear in the pale evening sky.  

 


	3. Kingdom Come

**Chapter Three**

_Kingdom Come_

 

***

The prison appeared out of the trees almost as if it had just been plopped down in front of their path. It was impressive and looming, situated on top of a hill, completely obscured by the trees around it. Without knowing where it was, stumbling upon it would be the only way to find it. Kate was impressed by the luck Daryl’s group seemed to have. And her own. How was it that in the middle of no where someone had happened to find them, someone who would bring them to safety? Though she was not fooled—Charlie and she were not out of the woods yet, figuratively speaking anyways. She knew they still had to impress this other group. And this was the zombie apocalypse…no one was ever really safe.

The sound of the motorcycle must have alerted the others because Kate could make out a figure running down the hill through the courtyard to open the tall, wire gate, where several Walkers were ambling about unawares of approaching prey. The groans of the chains echoed loudly in the silence of the evening, stirring the creatures up as they turned and began to amble towards the noise. She pressed her knees into the saddle to make herself small as possible as they squeezed through the small group of dead. She sat up straighter in her saddle and put her head forward, taking a deep breath as she rode behind Daryl through the gates. The fence closed behind her as the man who was holding the chains released it. He ignored her, turning directly to Daryl. They began to speak, though she couldn’t make out the words he was saying since they were conferring closely and the roar of the bike was too loud.

Daryl cut the motorcycle off.

“—strangers in here. ‘S not a good idea.” The stranger was muttering.

“—hurt—all alone—women.” Daryl murmured back.

The disjointed conversation trickled over to her but she didn’t have to listen closely to figure out what they were saying. She sighed through her nose before hopping off of Percy, patting him on the shoulder and drawing his reins over his head as she walked forward with easy practice. As soon as her feet had hit the ground both men looked towards her. She crossed her arms in front of her, uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gaze in the low light. She couldn’t make out the man’s features but he was reasonably tall, lithe, and she could see the start of a beard, though it was too dark to tell what color his hair was.

“Miss—“

“Hawthorne,” she paused, “Kate Hawthorne.”

“Miss Hawthorne. We don’t normally take in strangers…”

“Oh, please. You have to help, my friend—“ Kate cut off as the stranger held up his hand to stop her.

“But...we will have our doctor take a look at your friend. We lost quite a few people a while back; we have plenty of extra supplies. You can stay until your friend is better, we can’t turn away the sick or the injured.”

Kate nodded, tears in her eyes as she struggled with the relief that was bubbling up inside of her. “I understand. I will do anything I can to help. Thank you, Mister…?”

“Rick Grimes.” The stranger held out his hand and she stepped forward to shake it firmly, clasping it in both of her own. As she did so Jack also stepped forward, wagging his tail and sniffing curiously at the stranger’s boots. Rick and Kate dropped hands, both looking at the dog between them. Rick knelt down, pushing Jack away so that he couldn’t get near enough to lick his face, examining the dog. Kate couldn’t see Rick’s features but she could tell by the way he stood perfectly still that he was in deep thought. Kate worriedly looked over at Daryl, who was leaning against his bike. He had been silent for the whole exchange and was observing impassively.

Kate watched as Rick looked at Daryl, who shrugged. “Saw him take down a Walker…been pretty quiet, kept close…” he shrugged again, trailing off. “He’s got a hurt pawr.”

Rick’s hand came up to gently rest on the top of the dog’s head, stroking it once before he stood up again. “Who’s this?”

“Jack, and that one,” she pointed over to where Taft was sniffing at the grass around Annie’s feet, “is Taft. They’re well-behaved. I promise. They don’t bark and they stay close to Charlie and I.”

“They can stay, though I’m not promising anything, some of the others might want ‘em gone and it’s everyone’s decision.”

Kate nodded again. “And the horses…?”

Rick looked past her to the black mare and bay gelding. “They can stay too, but you gotta let others use them for runs. And if it comes to it…you gotta be willing to part.”

Kate looked back over her shoulder where Percy was standing with a heel cocked, comfortably resting after the long ride. She stroked his velvety nose. “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to it.”

Rick nodded and his lips pulled back in a quick smile. “You can let ‘em go here in the courtyard till I can build a bigger pen for them. They won’t be able to get anywhere, the whole perimeter is sealed. First though, do you mind if I have your gun?”

She reached into the back of her pants and drew out her pistol. It’s metal was cool in her sweaty hands and she looked down at it before placing it reluctantly in Rick’s hands.

“Are there more?”

She nodded and dug around in the pack at the back of Percy’s saddle, she handed over the other handgun before reaching into the sheath at her hip and pulling out her hunting knife. He held up his hands and shook his head.

“I don’t want ya’ completely unarmed.”

She slid the knife back into its place with a determined nod. “Charlie’s got one in the back of her shorts, and there’s two more in her green backpack.” She didn’t like giving up her guns, but she wanted shelter and safety more, and if that meant going without her guns until she was trusted, then so be it. 

With a jerk of his head Rick signaled for Daryl to come with him and the two men gently pulled Charlie off of her horse and positioned her carefully in Rick’s arms, Daryl pulling the gun off of her and sticking it in his own pants. He took Annie’s reins and turned to Kate. “Come wit’ me.” He said gruffly, stroking Annie’s face instead of looking up at Kate.

“Where is he taking Charlie?”

“He’s gonna give her ta’ Hershel to take a look at. Promise ya’ she’s in good hands. Let’s get the horses settled and ya’ can go up ta’ meet the others.”

Kate looked reluctantly at the retreating back of Rick, who was walking steadily towards the doors of the prison. As he neared it two more people ran out, and after a few words were exchanged, they all disappeared back inside. Daryl watched as well before turning around and pulling Annie over towards what looked like a crude barn and corral. Kate followed him, tying Percy to the fence the same as Daryl did with Annie and they began to un-tack the horses in silence. Once they got the saddles and backpacks off and hung them on the top railing of the fence she turned to Daryl.

“Are there any brushes?” She asked looking at the sweat mark on Percy’s back.

“It’s the goddamn apocalypse and you’re asking if there is a brush for yer horse?” He snorted through his nose, shaking his head and handing her a damp cloth that he pulled off the fence and dunked in a water bucket on the other side. “Here.”

She took it with a small “thank you” and wiped both the horse’s backs and legs down as fast as she could while doing a thorough job with Daryl leaning against the face watching her intently. She could feel his eyes on her, boring into her back as she kneeled down to wipe off Annie’s last leg. She straightened again, wincing as her knee popped.

“Yer hurt.” He said, pushing off the fence and coming over to her, standing close and peering at her in the darkness.

She shrugged and took a step back. "It’s nothing, I’ve just got a bad leg.”

He looked down at her bare legs, where dirt, blood, and bits of asphalt were caked around her knees. He made a low growling sound in his throat, shifting his crossbow higher on his shoulder before he gathered three of the four backpacks, hanging one from his shoulder and holding the other two in one hand, leaving hers for her to grab. He breezed past her and began walking towards the prison. “C’mon, let’s get ya’ settled.”

She quickly unclasped Annie and then Percy’s bridles, hanging them on a post and swatting them lightly on the rears as she pushed them out into the field. They tossed their heads, enjoying the freedom and trotted away to nibble on grass happily. She watched them for a moment before snatching her backpack off the fence, whistling to the dogs and then jogging to catch up with Daryl; Jack and Taft hot on her heels. “Wait!” Her voice came out a little louder than she had meant and she covered her hand with her mouth, looking down sheepishly as Daryl turned to glance at her over his shoulder. She trotted behind him, trying to keep up with his swift strides. “You saw Jack take down that Walker!” She called after him, stopping as he did to avoid running straight into him. He turned around and looked at her.

“Wha’ did you say?”

“You saw Jack take down that Walker. I heard you tell Rick.” She poked him in the chest accusingly.

“So?” He snapped.

“So you stood there watching as I was overrun by Walkers.”

“I took care of ‘em, didn’ I?” He snarled, turning around to keep walking but Kate reached out and hooked her hand on his bicep so that she could make him face her. He turned easily but jerked his arm out of her grasp.

“Why did you just stand around? I didn’t know you were there.” She looked down before admitting quietly, “I thought I was going to die.”

Daryl dropped his gaze to the ground as well, kicking at the dirt and uplifting a chunk of grass with the toe of his boot. “Wanted ta’ see how good ya’ were.”

“Oh,” she furrowed her brow. Crossing her arms and thanking the fact it was dark out so that he couldn’t see the embarrassed blush staining her cheeks. “And..?” She couldn’t help but question.

“Yer a terrible shot.” He smirked before turning around and continuing up the hill towards the prison.

“Hey!” She huffed out a laugh. “Jerk!” She smacked him in between the shoulder blades lightly, hearing him give a short snort, as she followed him.

They made their way through the maze of gates and into the inner courtyard. He climbed the steps, obviously comfortable and familiar with them, before turning to look at her. “Ya’ ready?”

She bit her lip but nodded, straightening up and taking a breath. He shook his head before turning and opening the door. The creak was enough to alert everyone in the cell block to the new presence. Three heads turn towards her as she stepped into the light, concealed partially by Daryl. He stopped in the middle of the room, Kate standing behind his shoulder, her body half hidden by him. No one said anything for a few long moments, everyone sizing each other up. Besides her and Daryl there were two other women and one man in the room. A girl with short, brown hair broke the silence first. She smiled lightly at Kate, “I’m Maggie. My daddy’s the one fixin’ up your friend.”

The pressure of all eyes on her made her shrink back behind Daryl, who stepped out of the way so he was no longer acting as her shield. He scooted through the small crowd, stopping for a minute to whisper to the young, good-looking Asian man who was standing by the entrance which she assumed led towards the cells. The man nodded his head and Daryl moved past, clapping his shoulder, and then disappeared into the other room. Kate watched him go, gnawing on her lip before turning her eyes back to the strangers who were watching her curiously.

“I—I’m Kate.” She managed to squeak out, waving at them before quickly tucking her hand behind her back.  _That was stupid._  She chided herself. She could feel a blush racing up her neck and into her cheeks, settling there and turning her whole face bright red.

“Is that...a dog?” The black woman, who until this point had been silent, sitting on top of one of the metal benches, questioned. She had a generally kind face, with striking features, her slender body stretched out as she reclined luxuriously on her elbows. All eyes snapped down to Jack, who was panting slightly and wagging his stumped tail.

“Yeah, um…everyone meet Jack and Taft.” She gestured awkwardly to her companions respectively before the Asian man broke out into a huge grin.

“Hell yeah! Rick said you could keep them?”

She nodded, smiling hesitantly.

Maggie rolled her eyes, settling herself down at a table while she watched the young man get down on his knees and pat his thighs enthusiastically. Jack happily bounded over, knocking the man onto the ground and licking his face while he laughed. “This is awesome,” he said as finally managed to come up for air, Jack still wiggling around his body happily. “By the way, I’m Glenn.”

“Hello,” she smiled brighter this time, though she still stood stiff and awkward in the middle of the room. Taft whined by her side and she put a comforting hand on his head, stroking the velvety gold fur.

“What’s wrong with that one?” Maggie asked, frowning at the unhappy young dog.

“He’s just sad because Charlie is hurt, right Taffy?” Kate knelt down so that she could rub the golden retriever’s ears in her hands as he solemnly wagged his tail and licked her face once.

“Charlie…your friend that Rick had?” Glenn questioned, his head cocked curiously to the side.

“Yeah.”

Maggie motioned for Glenn to get off the floor; which he did, coming over to sit by Maggie. They knotted their hands together as he sat. Jack followed him over and laid down by his feet.

“I think someone likes you,” Kate said nodding down at Jack’s current position, while Glenn smiled and shrugged.

“What happened?”

Kate turned to look at the woman who had been sitting quietly, watching the interaction. “Well, Daryl stumbled upon our campsite early this afternoon and asked if we wanted to come with. Everything was fine until we stopped to let the animals rest...”

          “Are there more dogs?” Glenn asked perking up excitedly.

Kate raised her eyebrow at him. “Nope. Two horses though.”

“Awesome.” He settled back down and Maggie leaned against him.

“Anyways, Daryl went off to check some traps and give the horses water while Charlie and I waited with the dogs. After a while one of those things came out of the woods. Charlie killed it, but in the process fell and hit her head pretty hard…did they say..?”

Glenn shook his head.

“Can I?” She went to move forward but the woman stood up.

“No. We don’t let strangers back that way.” Her dark eyes raked over Kate untrustingly as she reached behind her to begin unsheathing the sword that Kate hadn’t noticed until just then. She was taller than she first appeared, towering over Kate’s average build. Kate’s eyes bounced over to Maggie who had her gun on the table behind her and Glenn’s was holstered on the belt around his jeans. She felt out-matched and unprotected. She wished Rick had given her gun back before he walked off. Not that she would ever use it against these people, but she would feel a lot safer if she had it on her. The weight of her knife in its sheath was little comfort.

 “Oh, right. I—I’m sorry.”

“Mishonne. Stop intimidating the poor girl.” Maggie chided lightly, Kate bristled unconsciously about being called a girl by someone who was just about her age but she let it roll off of her unaffected.

“She’s right though. It’s better if you just stayed out here for right now. I’m sure someone will come out with news soon.” Glenn smiled, his friendly demeanor relaxing her more than either of the women.

The small room suddenly filled with an awkward tension. Kate backed up a few steps before her knees hit a table and she sank onto the bench, stretching her legs out in front of her, crossing her ankles. Taft came to lie under her feet.

“So…” Glenn started, “Where are you from? Your accent definitely isn’t Georgia.”

“Charlie and I hail from Charleston, but we’ve been living in England the past few years. Just happened to come ‘cross the pond for a reunion of sorts…turned a bit sour though, wouldn’t you think?”

“Shit yeah, I’d say.” Glenn laughed easily and Kate smiled in return. “Charleston? That’s not too far from here.”

“Yeah, about four hours drive. When all this shit started going down we hightailed it out of the town we were camping in, and headed for home. Got stuck in the hell hole that was Atlanta. Our car ran out of gas, and we haven’t been able to get back home since.” Her voice was thick towards the end as she began to think of everything that had been left in Charleston awaiting her return.

“Has it been just you and Charlie?” Maggie asked, looking over at Kate with her brows knotted sympathetically.

Kate shook her head, “There were…others…in the beginning.” Kate coughed to dislodge the stopper in her throat, her eyes starting to sting.

Maggie and Glenn looked down at their boots and they sat in silence for a while, each person lost in their own thoughts. The sound of shoes coming towards them made all three of their heads turn together to see who the new arrival was. Daryl made his way out of the cell block and came to a stop next to the table where Kate was at. She scrambled so that she was no longer lounging against the table, slumped forwards in exhaustion. Daryl shifted his weight on his feet for a few moments before looking down at Kate and holding something out in his hand. She took the brown bottle and ripped, white cloth he was handing her.

“’Fer the cuts on yer legs. Hershel said it’ll help.” He shrugged, biting his thumbnail on the hand she had taken the supplies from.

“Thank you, Daryl,” she said smiling thankfully and unscrewing the top to the peroxide. She recognized it immediately, since it was the same brand that her mother used to have on hand to heal up her scraps when she would fall off her bike, or her horse, as a young girl. She wiped the cloth gently over both her knees, wincing slightly as she dislodged pieces of asphalt from the cuts. She pressed the cloth to the bottom of the scraps on one leg so that the liquid wouldn’t drip before she poured a small amount onto her dirty knee. The clear liquid began to bubble immediately and she sighed as the medicine numbed the stinging that was going all the way down her calves. She repeated the process on her other knee before wiping away the access fluid, leaving behind a few small scrapes and red, irritated skin that was no longer bleeding. She screwed the top back on the bottle and handed it to Daryl.

“How is Charlie?” She asked, looking up worriedly, searching Daryl’s stony face for good or bad news.

“Doc says she’s gonna be fine. Concussion and a sprained ankle, but she’s still out cold. He’s gonna stay wit’ her over the night.”

Kate nodded and sighed. “Mishonne said I can’t go back there—“

“You can’t,” Mishonne spoke up, leaning against a pole by the staircase and watching the interaction with hard eyes.

                Daryl looked over to Mishonne, twisting his lips in a half smile before looking back at Kate. “She’s right, ya’ gotta stay here fer now.”

Kate frowned and looked down at Taft, who wagged his tail slowly at her, whining again. “Can Taft go with you? That is…if you’re going back there I mean. I don’t want him to bother you. I’m sorry, I’m being silly, he can stay with me. It’s fine.”

Daryl watched her continue to mumble and apologize before he cut her off, “I’m sure he can come with, long as he don’t jostle her ‘round too much.”

“Oh, okay…good.” Kate laughed awkwardly and looked down to the now bloody rag she’d been twisting in her hands.

“Gimme that rag, I gotta throw it in tha’ laundry pile.”

She handed him the bloodied cloth, their hands brushing slightly as it passed over and then she shrank back into her seat, pulling her legs up and resting her chin on her knees. The back of the table pressed uncomfortably against her spine but she found herself not really caring. Daryl turned and walked back the way he came, before he reached the door he turned back and gave a low whistle. Taft picked up his head but didn’t move, Jack springing up from next to Glenn and trotting over.

“Not you, ya’ mutt,” Daryl said, glaring towards Jack, who wagged his tail, mouth open in a smile.

“Go on, Taft.” Kate put one of her feet down to nudge the golden retriever pup in the side, who stood reluctantly. Daryl whistled again and Taft walked over.

“Good boy,” Daryl mumbled as Taft reached him, turning to disappear around the corner, Taft sticking close to his leg and Jack trying to squeeze through the door on his other side. Daryl reached his foot back to push Jack way.

“Jack, to me.” Kate raised her voice so that he would hear her. Jack looked after Daryl and Taft once more before bounding back to his owner jumping up onto the table behind her. “Jack, get down, people eat there.” She could hear Glenn chuckling before she grabbed Jack’s fluffy white neck and pulled him onto the bench with her, where he stretched out across it with his head in her lap.

“He listens well.” Glenn commented, still smiling so Kate knew he was just giving her a hard time.

Kate stroked Jack’s head fondly. “Well, he doesn’t like everyone separated. Back when I was still living with my family, if we were all in different rooms he would pace back and forth until dinner time, when we would finally all be together.” She laughed softly to herself before looking down at the aging dog in her lap. Gray hairs were beginning to show around his black nose and the patch over his eye.

The sound of boots on the ground made all of their heads turn towards the entrance of the cells, where Rick emerged soon after. Kate could get a good look at him now in the light of the lamps around the perimeter of the room. He had angular features, and all though his face was hollow from hunger she could see how before all this had happened he had been attractive, though the rugged thing was kind of working for him. His curly brown hair was disheveled and greasy with sweat, and his beard was peppered with gray.

“Kate,” he addressed her, walking up and taking a seat at the table adjacent to hers. “Charlie is gonna be out for a while, I don’t know how much Daryl told ya’—“ 

“He said she has a concussion, and a sprained ankle.”

Rick nodded, his blue eyes serious as he studied her. She held his intense gaze as he rubbed a hand over his stubble. “Now, I don’t know you…and I know you don’t know us. But we’ve got enough people here to make your life a living hell if you do anything…anything at all to endanger a single person in this group. You’re an outsider. Some of us have known each other since the beginning, we won’t take kindly to someone coming in and messing up.”

He took a moment to look behind him at Maggie and Glenn, who were watching him with impassive faces. He looked to his other side where Mishonne was staring with cold eyes, her hand moving slowly towards the small knife on her hip. Kate shifted uncomfortably, making all eyes turn back to her.

“If you do anything at all to make us doubt your conviction for keeping this place safe, we will kill you.” The words were said in a voice so hard that she couldn’t believe it came from the man in front of her.

She swallowed, her hands shaking with nerves as everyone around her watched her mistrustfully, the friendliness exhibited by both Maggie and Glenn was gone as they stared dispassionately at her. She nodded, not knowing what else to say and not being able to find her voice anyway.

Rick stood up, and then looked down at her with his hands on his hips. “Look, here’s the deal: we don’t usually let strangers sleep in our cell block, but since your friend is injured,” he took a breath through his nose, like what he was going to say next was not something he agreed with. “Hershel said we should keep you near, in case things go down hill.”

“Rick—“ Mishonne started, stepping forward, but he held up a hand much in the same way he did to Kate so she would stop talking earlier. Kate was impressed by the control he obviously had over this group, whether or not he accepted full responsibility for it. Mishonne eyed her angrily from her spot in the corner.

“I’ll take you to the cell you can stay in until Charlie gets better and we can find a place for you both in Cell Block B.” He turned and walked off, his boots clicking on the concrete floor as Kate scrambled to get up and follow him. Jack hopped off the table to run up and trot by Rick’s side. Kate saw Rick glance down at the dog but he did nothing else to acknowledge him. They walked silently down the corridor. She could make out very little, since only one lamp was burning here. They walked past the room where the golden light was coming from, Kate could see a man with white hair bent over a body on a bed. A young, blonde girl was holding a bucket of murky water for him near the person’s head. She then noticed the furry, golden lump at the foot of the bed.

Kate stopped without thinking about it and watched for a moment as the man ran cloth over the back of the body’s head and drew it away. It was bright red. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and he dunked the rag in the bucket the girl was holding before repeating the process. Rick had circled around the staircase when he realized Kate was no longer following and came to stand by her.

“They’re just cleaning her hair, so they can get a better look at the wound.” His voice startled her and she turned to look at him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, matching his tone.

“Its fine, I’m sure you’re worried. Let’s go.” He put a hand on her shoulder to turn her away. They walked a few feet more in silence, Kate wrapping her arms around her torso, her heavy backpack weighing on her shoulders. Rick stopped at a room on the bottom floor that she could tell was empty by the dim light. Blood was dried on the floor and the wall across from the bed; manifesting in black, shadowy stains. Besides that ominous view, there was nothing that even hinted towards what was going on outside the prison walls. There was a little pillow at the head of the bed on the lower bunk and a red blanket tucked neatly around a small mattress. She shrugged off her backpack and threw it in a corner as Jack sniffed around the room. She turned to Rick, where he stood leaning against the bars near the door.

“Thank you, so much. Really, for everything,” Her voice was thick and she was glad for the low light so he couldn’t see the tears of relief collecting in the corners of her eyes.

He nodded, looking down on the ground before back up towards her. “Someone will be ‘round in the morning to give ya’ a tour…and help ya’ get settled.”

“Okay,” she chirped, though she knew it wasn’t only for a tour. She was sure that someone was going to be keeping an eye on her for vastly different reasons. Fine, stick her with a guard, as long as it wasn’t Mishonne she was pretty sure she could convince whoever it was that she was harmless.

Rick turned to go.

“Good night,” She wished him, genuinely.

He stopped and turned towards her, searching her smiling face. “Good night.” He began to walk away again but paused, saying over his shoulder, “You know…head wounds bleed more than any other.”

“I know.” She admitted, softly.

He looked at her once more, blue eyes searching her round face and slender eyes. Then he turned without another word and headed back down the corridor. Kate listened to his boots recede down the hall and then pulled the string on the green sheet that hung from the door way so that it would swing close over the entrance. She turned to her temporary room, surveying it once more before she looked to Jack, who was lying stretched out on the bed.

“I guess we should get some shut eye.” She whispered to him, sitting down on the bed and kicking off her dirty, black Converse revealing colorful and holey socks. She made Jack jump off so that she could pull the blankets down before she climbed into the bed, not bothering to take off any other clothing but her bra, tossing it onto the floor by the bed, and then patted the spot next to her so that Jack could jump up. She covered both of them with the blanket as soon as Jack lay down and shuffled around until she found a relatively comfortable position. Jack laid his head on the pillow next to hers and closed his eyes, sighing loudly. Kate wrapped an arm around him and buried her head in his white fur, inhaling the familiar smell of his coat, it was musty, a combination of fresh grass and murky pond water. The safety of the prison was soothing, and the murmuring of voices down the corridor made her feel like she wasn’t alone. She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.


	4. Meet the Robinsons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope you're all enjoying the story. Reviews and kudos are always welcome. I hope to use this story to improve my writing and if anyone has any tips/advice I'm all ears. Thanks everyone!

**Chapter Four**

_Meet the Robinsons_

 

 

_***_

Kate awoke the next morning to the sounds of something moving not far away from her. She tensed up immediately before raising the rest of the way from her sleep. Her body rigid and her breathing shallow. It wasn’t until she heard someone calling out a pleasant “good morning!” that she was able to relax slightly, remembering where she was. She sighed and rolled over, opening her eyes and staring at the concrete wall in front of her face. She pulled her feet up towards her chest and snuggled into the thin blanket wrapped around her. Jack moved about at the end of the bed, finding a better position before settling down again by her legs, laying his head on her hip.

She hummed contently, comfortable in her bed. For the first time in weeks she had slept without fear, her body sinking into the lumpy mattress. She woke up with a dry mouth and rumbling stomach but otherwise she was peaceful. Breaking this façade of safety was not on the top of her list to do this morning but she knew that eventually someone would come to find her, but until then she was perfectly fine trying to get another few minutes of sleep. As she drifted pleasantly in and out of consciousness she thought about Charlie. She concluded that since she hadn’t been unceremoniously ripped from her sleep last night Charlie was fine.

Which was a relief to her because Charlie was all she had left of her old life, of the life that she so dearly wanted to hold onto, even if it was just by the weakest grip. Charlie was her anchor, her safety net, the one person left in this crazy world that actually knew her. The thought of all the others she had lost made her heart clench and her stomach twist sickeningly. Tears pricked behind her closed eyelids and she breathed slowly in and out of her nose in order to keep the emotions in check. She was warm, she was protected, she was figuratively safe.

For some reason Kate had just felt like she could trust these people. Sure Daryl was rough, Mishonne obviously had some serious trust issues, and something was definitely not quite right with Rick but she could see all their bleeding hearts just as if they wore them stitched to their sleeves. They took her and Charlie in; caring for Charlie like she was one of their own. All Kate could hope for now was that they would let them stay. She would have to find a way to convince them, they could not go back out there on their own. Charlie and her were starving, running low on supplies, and unequipped to handle the dangers that the world now posed.

Suddenly, the sound of boots coming towards her from the far side of the cell block jolted her from her morning musings. She closed her eyes tighter and tried to even out her breathing, hoping to pass as still asleep, not wanting them to think she was already shrugging off duties. When in reality the idea of meeting the rest of the group was far from appealing to her. The footsteps stopped just outside the door, hesitating for a moment as Kate held her breath before she heard the curtain pushed back out of the way and someone come to stand near the bed.

She felt Jack lift his head off her hip and turn to look at the visitor, his stub tail wagging happily. She wondered who it was, possibly Rick since Jack had not growled. Obviously it was someone he knew, otherwise things might have ended a bit differently for the stranger who was taking an unusual amount of time standing over her bed. Finally she felt something poke her in the shoulder. She rolled over onto her back, causing Jack to jump down off the bed. She stretched her body, letting out a high pitched yawn, reaching her hands over her head and pointing her toes where they stuck out from beneath the blanket. Finally, she opened her eyes and turned her head…coming face to face with the end of an unloaded crossbow.

“Daryl Dixon, I know you did not just use that crossbow to poke me awake.” She said with a sleepy smile, pushing it out of her face as she rolled over onto her side facing him. He was standing with one arm against the top bunk, resting his forehead against the metal and looking down at her. He hung his crossbow down at his side and stepped back so that she didn’t have to crane her head to see him.

“Git dressed. It’s breakfast.”

Her stomach dropped at the words. She knew breakfast meant meeting everyone else who called this prison home, and she also knew that this morning was her chance to convince everyone that her and Charlie were stable enough to stay with them. She closed her eyes and rolled over onto her back again. “What if I’m not hungry?”

“Wha’, you sick or somethin’?” Daryl asked skeptically.

“No, I just…” she chewed on her lip and rolled back over, fiddling with the corner of the blanket before looking up at him. He was watching her intently, and with what she thought might be some flicker of concern. “I just…”

“Spit it out woman, ain’t got all day.” He sniped, though there was no coldness to the words.

“I’m…not very good with first impressions.”

“I’m offerin’ ya a good hot meal and yer worried about first impressions?” He snorted at her before turning on his heel, “ya got five minutes to git dressed and come out. If yer not in tha’ hallway then I’m gonna come back here and carry your ass out.” With that he slipped out of her room, leaving her to stare blankly at the wall where he’d been leaning.

Jack watched him go before turning to Kate and whining. She sat up in bed, swinging her legs over the side and stretching once more. She took off her tank top and shirt before bending over to pick her bra up off the floor, a blush rising to her cheeks as she realized it was lying where Daryl could’ve easily seen it. Quickly she slipped it on before pulling a black v-neck over her head, pulling her braid out the back of her shirt and flipping it over her shoulder. She looked at the end which was knotted and covered with mud and pieces of grass. She sighed before tossing over her shoulder again where it settled in the middle of her back. She left on her shorts and pulled her Converses on before sighing and walking out the door, Jack following at her heels.

Daryl was leaning against the wall to her right, his eyes trailing down her and back up before he bent down to pick up his crossbow, slinging it over his shoulder and walking down the hall without a word. She followed timidly behind him, looking towards the cell where she knew Charlie was. The white haired man she took to be Hershel was sitting with his back to her, stroking Taft’s head, who was still lying at the end of Charlie’s bunk. She wondered if Hershel had gone to get breakfast already or if he had decided to skip it in order to look after Charlie. She trailed after Daryl, watching his boots as he lead her out of the prison and into the morning sunshine.

It was a beautiful day, humid as any summer day in Georgia but a gentle breeze was stirring the thick air. It pulled gently at the loose strands of hair that hung around her face. Before she knew it she heard the clamor of several overlapping voices and the unmistakable sound of silverware against plates. She looked up to see a large, makeshift canopy hanging over several metal picnic tables. There was an improvised counter where the young blonde from last night was standing handing out plates. As Daryl and Kate approached she could hear the conversations start to trail off as everyone turned to get a good look at the new comer, she drew herself up to stare at the angel wings on the back of Daryl’s jacket, trying to resist the urge of pulling her arms tight around her and hugging her waist. Daryl stopped at the counter, where the girl smiled at him.

“Good morning Daryl!” She said cheerily as she handed him a bowl and a spoon.

He nodded, flicking his eyes to her before looking down into his bowl and raising it to her in thank you. “Beth, this is Kate. Newbie, this is Beth.”

Beth searched Kate’s face before handing her a bowl, “Your friend is Charlie right? She’s gonna be just fine. Daddy’ll take good care of her.” Her voice was sweet, like church bells, but there was something in her eyes that seemed lost and withdrawn.

“Thank you,” Kate smiled, accepting the food. “On both counts.”

Beth nodded but didn’t say anything else, going back to stirring the pot of grits in front of her. Daryl walked them over to a table at the far side of the eating area. He sat down roughly at an empty table and began shoveling his breakfast in his mouth. Kate sat across from him, Jack lying down underneath the table. She looked down at her food, spinning her spoon in it slowly, glancing around at everyone. For the most part people had already gone back to eating their meals, but she caught some of them sneaking her glances every now and then. She was surprised at the diversity of the people around her: a few elderly, even more children, and at least twenty adults. She couldn’t believe the size of this group, she hadn’t seen this many survivors together since the government run shelters were still up and running.

“Ya gonna eat?” Daryl grunted, his spoon still shoveling food into his mouth.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you to eat with your mouth closed?”

“I tell him all the time, but he never listens.” Glenn answered for him as he threw a leg over the bench on Daryl’s side and plopped down, smacking Daryl’s back.

Daryl shot him a withering glare before shoveling another bite into his mouth.

Maggie approached them from the line and sat down on Kate’s left, facing Glenn. “You should probably eat, I know my sister’s cookin’ isn’t the best but the grits are pretty good anyway.”

“Beth’s your sister, right?” Kate asked, taking her first bite of the grits. She swallowed thickly, the food tasting like heaven on her tongue. “My compliments to the chef.”

Maggie smiled and Glenn laughed. Kate began to feel a bit more relaxed, even though Daryl was silently watching her, his bowl already empty and pushed aside. Kate took another bite, chewing slowly so she could enjoy the hot feeling of the food on her tongue. She hummed contently.

“So Daryl, what’re you up to today?” Glenn questioned, obviously trying to fill the stretching silence that was threatening to envelop the table.

“Gotta show the newbie around.”

Glenn snorted and looked at Kate. “Funny taste in a tour guide.”

Kate shrugged. “I didn’t pick him. That’s for sure.” She winked at Daryl, who glanced down at his bowl as soon as she looked his way.

“Rick asked me to,” Daryl mumbled to the table.

“Ah, so it’s your punishment.” Glenn nodded as if he had learned the answers to the universe.

Maggie kicked him under the table, making him jump before he pulled his leg towards him and rubbed his calf, glaring at his wife.

“S’not a punishment.”

“Glad you think so.” Kate responded, waiting until Daryl met her eyes this time to smile.

“I’m just doin’ my part.” He insisted. “Ya ready for your grand tour?” He asked sardonically, standing up and grabbing his bowl.

Kate stood too, nodding and picking up her own dishes. He led her over to the counter again, where they deposited their dirty dishes on the counter with the others.

“Beth,” they both said before looking at each other with raised eyebrows. She turned around at surprise.

“Yeah?”

Kate and Daryl looked at each other for a moment before Kate shrugged.

“You got any jerky back there?” Daryl asked.

“Here you go,” Beth turned around before tossing a couple pieces of dried meat to Daryl. “That enough?”

Daryl grunted an affirmative before murmuring thanks.

Beth nodded at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth before she turned to Kate expectantly.

“Can I get another bowl of grits?”

“We don’t give out seconds.” Beth informed her, the friendly smile slipping quickly from her lips.

“It’s not for me,” Kate said, her own words a little harsh.

Beth narrowed her eyes before flicking them over to Daryl, who Kate noticed was also watching her. He finally tore his gaze away from her to nod to Beth. Beth spooned some of the food into a bowl and handed it to Kate.

“Thank you.” Kate took the bowl and left, leaving Daryl to follow in her wake this time.

“Where ya goin’? I haven’t shown you everythin’ yet.”

“To check on Charlie.” She said without turning around.

When they reached the door to the cell where Charlie’s body was lying, pale and unmoving, Kate stopped. Daryl stood behind her; she could feel his eyes on the back of her head. After a moment he stepped back and leaned against the bars. “I’ll wait here.”

With that Kate stepped through the doorway. “Hershel?” She asked timidly.

The old man turned, his face was kind and weathered. She noticed the knotted pant leg and the crutches resting against the bed frame. She wondered for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning what horrors this group had faced. “Yes dear?”

“I’m Kate Hawthorne.”

“I assumed as much,” he said with a gentle smile, his voice was like a stream trickling over rocks, calm and soothing.

“I brought you breakfast, I didn’t know if you’d eaten…” She held out the bowl and spoon to him.

His eyes twinkled as he took the food from her. “Thank you.”

She nodded and they lapsed into silence for a few minutes while he ate. Kate sat at the edge of the bed next to him; reaching up to wrap her hand around Charlie’s which was cold and clammy to the touch.

“She lost quite a bit of blood, but nothing she can’t recover from. She woke up for a bit last night, but quickly fell back asleep. I don’t think she’s concussed, but that ankle is going to lay her up for at least a week if she doesn’t want to damage it further.”

“She’s gonna love that.” Kate sniffled, wiping under her eyes where tears of relief had begun to pool.

Hershel rested his hand on her shoulder. “She’ll be just fine; we’ve seen much worse come through this group.”

“Thank you so much, you and your daughter. Really, everyone in this prison. Thank you, from both of us.”

He nodded. “Got to do what I can for the living, as long as they’ve got breath I’m going help. Everyone here will, we know the importance of the fighters.”

“I was never much of a fighter,” she admitted.

“You’ve made it this far, you’re a fighter dear. Whether you see it or not.”

They smiled at each other before Daryl walked through the door behind them. He came up to stand near the bed where Kate was sitting.

“Brought this for Taft,” he muttered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the jerky from breakfast and throwing it on the bed near Taft’s nose before turning on his heel and heading out the door, Jack following after him, snuffling at his pocket. “Yeah, yeah. You mutt. Got some for ya’ too.” He sounded annoyed but Kate could swear she saw a smile tugging at his lips as he disappeared out the door again with her dog.

“Is he always like that?” Kate turned to Hershel again who only answered her with a laugh, his shoulders shaking as he leaned over to check Charlie’s pulse. Kate decided it was time for her to go see what Daryl had in mind for the rest of the day, knowing that she was probably in for a lot of stilted conversation and awkward encounters with the rest of the group. So far she had managed to avoid meeting everyone all at once, thank god for her socially distant tour guide.  

She squeezed Charlie’s hand once more before she stood up with a sigh. Hershel gave her a tight smile and patted her on the small of the back. She quirked her lips half heartedly back at him before glancing once more at Charlie’s pale form and then turning to leave.

As she stepped out of the room the first thing she saw was Rick and Daryl huddled closely together, both of them looking up and stepping apart as she appeared. She smiled brightly despite the obvious awkwardness. “Good morning Rick.”

“Morning Kate, sleep well?” He asked, looking somewhere past her shoulder.

“Yes, I just wanted to say thank you again,” she stepped closer to the two men. “Really, for everything. And I’m sure Charlie would be thanking you too if she was awake.” She looked back towards the cell where she’d just come from.

“Still no sign of her waking up?” Daryl spoke up.

She shook her head, biting her lip and looking down at the dirt on the concrete ground of the prison.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Rick offered, his voice firm. “Kate, I was just telling Daryl about what’s going to happen while we wait for Charlie to come ‘round. Everyone here pulls their weight, no matter who they are, young or small, here forever or just arrived. While we can’t trust you outright yet, I hope you understand, we expect you to do your share.”

“Of course, I’ll do whatever is asked of me. I just want to help, and repay you, though there is probably no way I ever can.”

“As it stands,” Rick continued after a pause, “we will keep you near with someone who’s been here a while, so that you can feel comfortable. We decided you’re gonna spend the rest of the day with Daryl, he’ll finish introducing you to everyone and take you on a perimeter walk, show you what to look for and how we deal with the build-ups.”

She looked over to Daryl with a tentative smile but he was looking at his boots as if he was attempting to clean them by staring at them hard enough. Rick looked between the two of them before nodding his head and clapping Daryl on the shoulder.

“I’ve got watch the rest of the day but I’ll see you both at dinner.” With that he turned and disappeared back out into the common area.

Kate waited for Daryl to move but he just continued to lean against the wall, Jack lying by his feet, panting quietly. “So,” she started, “what’s next on the agenda?”

He finally looked up at her as if noticing she was there for the first time. “First? A shower for you. Ya smell like a damn walker.”

“I’m going to ignore that last comment in favor of: there are showers?” She clapped her hands together as she felt her heart swell in excitement.

“Keep your squawking down, Jesus. Here’s your towel, let’s go.” He threw the towel that she hadn’t noticed he was hold at her, she caught it as it slapped into her chest, too excited to do anything more than throw him a dirty look before he turned away. She followed excitedly behind him as they headed through the common room and off one of the many hallways.

“Oh,” she skipped past him, twirling around once as she did so. “A shower sounds so wonderful I could cry.”

“Please don’t.” He sniped gruffly from behind her.

She turned to roll her eyes at him before continuing to stride down the hallway. “I can’t wait to get all this disgusting dirt off of me, and if I’m being perfectly honest, it’s not all dirt. If you get my meaning. God those things are so disgusting, they just get there gross grossness all over the place don’t they?”

She heard a quick and low whistle, turning around she noticed Daryl pointing down a corridor. “This way, princess.”

“Right, of course. And don’t call me that.” She slipped past him down the hallway. “Hopefully I’ll be able to get these knots out. For a while I thought about just cutting all my hair off, but I just couldn’t bare it. Charlie could do it, she’s got that nice angular jaw, but mine’s so much more round. It just wouldn’t look as good on me. Right?”

There was silence behind her.

“Right, definitely not. Thank god for running water.”

“We ain’t got no hot water.”

“Well that’s okay. A cold shower in this weather sounds glorious. I mean, I used to be a bath person. They’re just so much more relaxing. A hot bubble bath, a glass of wine, a good book and some candles is the best way to unwind after a horrible day. I think this would count as a pretty bad day, well bad year anyway.”

She heard a door open behind her and she turned to walk through it, Daryl following behind her. He walked towards one of the curtains pulling it back, she crowded up beside him, her side pressing against his as he pointed out which faucets to turn. “Oh my god, is that conditioner?” She pushed past him and walked into the stall, grabbing the bottle off the small shelf. “Okay, I definitely think I may cry now.”

He was staring at her, his thumbnail between his teeth.

“Sorry, I interrupted didn’t I?”

“I’ll wait for ya to get ready and I’ll pump the water for ya but then I’ve got some stuff to do. Can you find your way back out?”

“Contrary to what you might believe I was paying attention on the way down. Will you take Jack with you while I shower?” She asked nonchalantly as she bent down to start untying her shoes.

“Wait till I’m outta here to start gettin’ undress woman.” He snapped, backing away from the curtain and letting the manila colored thick plastic to fall in place around the makeshift stall.

“Sorry.” She called through the curtain as she started undressing, throwing her clothes out of a small crack as she took them off. “Ready!” She called as she took the tie out of her brown hair and started to untangle the braid that had turned more or less into a knot accessorized by twigs and pieces of leaves. After a few seconds of anticipation the shower head made a spurting noise before lukewarm water started pouring onto her. She sighed dreamily, rubbing her face under the running water, turning in a circle so that her whole body became wet. She grabbed the conditioner before she did anything else, pouring a huge amount right on top of her head and began working it into her thick hair.

“C’mon mutt.” She heard Daryl say and then she heard the door close and lock behind him as he left. She hummed as she cleaned herself, allowing a few tears to slip from her eyes and mingle with the water. For what seemed like forever she scrubbed and rinsed and repeated, watching dirt and blood spin down the drain. She stood under the stream of water until it finally sputtered out, before she quickly dried and put her clothes back on, letting her damp hair drip down her back. 

She walked back up slowly humming and feeling cleaner than she had in months. She stopped in at Charlie’s bed to see if anything had changed but no one was to be found. Charlie was still as ever so she kissed her on the forehead, pushing her hair back from her face. Then she turned and walked out into the sunshine. She immediately began to sweat in the late summer humidity but she figured there was nothing she could do to help that. She looked for a certain crossbow wielding man but the entire side of the prison was quiet.

There was no one around, she stood awkwardly in the middle of the basketball courts, wondering what she should do when she heard a door open to her left and saw Beth making her way out the door, carrying what looked like a laundry basket. Kate waited for her to approach before calling out. “Hey, Beth right? Can I help you with that?”

“What are you doing by yourself?” She said, putting the basket down at her feet and looking Kate up and down.

“Um…I just got out of the shower, I was looking for Daryl. He’s um—supposed to be showing me around.” Kate bit her lip and wrapped one of her arms around her torso, grabbing her other arm.

“Well he had to go fix a break in the fence, but he should be coming back this way soon. Stay put and wait for him here, or go back to your cell.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks. Are you sure you don’t need help?”

“I’ve got it.” Beth walked past her, Kate stepping out of the way of the stairs as Beth climbed them and disappeared through the door Kate had just come from. Kate sighed and shook her head, letting go of her arm and shaking both of her hands around.  She felt like a ridiculous ball of energy but there was nothing she could do without Daryl around. She looked around before she spotted a metal picnic table. She happily skipped over to it. She climbed up on to the table part, and lay down with a content sigh. Since no one else was around she figured she could take a quick nap in the sun while she waited, no one would have to know and she’d hear anyone coming before they could catch her. She splayed her hair out behind her, letting it hang off the table. She wiggled around and got comfortable before she closed her eyes against the glaring early afternoon sun. The rays were pleasantly warm on her face and she drifted off into a light sleep, revealing in the safety that she felt. 


	5. Keeping Humanity

**Chapter Five**

_Keeping Humanity_

***

The warmth of the sun disappearing from her face made Kate open up her eyes. Blocking out the rays of light was Daryl, his mouth pressed in a hard line and his arms crossed over his chest. “What’re you doin’?”

“Waiting for you,” she answered sitting up and spinning around on the table to face him. He stepped back slightly at her sudden movements, almost tripping over Jack who was standing behind him. Jack jumped out of the way and trotted towards his owner, sitting by the edge of the table. Kate leaned over to pat Jack on the head, stroking the soft white fur there before rubbing his ears. Jack leaned his head against her leg which was hanging off the side of the table, her toe just brushing the concrete. Her hair spilled over her shoulder, covering her face. She took a moment to peek up at Daryl through the tendrils of her now dry and quite wavy brown hair. He was watching her quietly; one of his hands wrapped tightly in the strap of his crossbow, his blue eyes squinting in the light of the sun and his eyebrows furrowed. She found herself not being able to look away.

After a long silence she finally sat back up and began to braid her hair back and out of her face, picking up her bangs and pulling them back to weave them into the French braid. She pretended to concentrate, looking just past Daryl’s shoulder, but she could feel him watching her hands as she swiftly twisted them with practice ease. She licked her lips once, grabbing the sweat that had gathered on her upper lip. It was salty on her tongue and it was then she noticed how parched she was.

Finishing off her braid she flipped it back over her shoulder. Looking up at Daryl and shielding her eyes with one hand—even though the sun was behind her the glare from the blacktop made everything too bright. “Any place ‘round here I can get some water?”

Daryl stared at her for a moment longer before reaching behind him and producing a battered plastic water bottle from his back pocket. He tossed it to her. She attempted to catch it but it slipped through her fingers before she could close her hands around it, it rolled across the black top.

“Shit!” She exclaimed, jumping quickly off the table. It was rolling towards Daryl but she figured since she dropped it she should be the one to go after it. Apparently Daryl had the same idea. Both of their hands reached out and wrapped around the water bottle at the same time, their pinkies overlapping. Both of their heads snapped up, their faces inches from one another. Kate gasped as she made eye contact with the brilliant blue of his eyes. His eyes widened in surprise and both of them jumped back from the innocent bottle of water which stayed in no man’s land between them.

They did not break eye contact, neither one of them moving. Kate grabbed her arm with her other hand, and Daryl rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that wasn’t still tangled tightly in the crossbow strap. After what seemed like hours but was only a few fleeting moments Daryl knelt down, his black hunting boots creaking at the movement and picked up the water bottle. He took a step towards Kate, standing sideways with his head down so that she could not properly see his expression. She noticed his blue eyes had cut to her though, and were watching her closely. He extended his arm towards her, holding the bottle out at arm’s length.

She took it from him and took a few quick gulps before screwing the lid back on and sighing contently. She licked her lips quickly, catching every bit of the lukewarm moisture before handing the bottle back to Daryl, clutching the bottom tightly. He grabbed the top, carefully avoiding any contact with her skin. “Thanks,” she managed to squeak out as the water passed from one person to the other.

“Well c’mon, I’ve still gotta show you the perimeter before dinner.” He took off across the blacktop without another word. Kate hopped off the table and followed behind him, jogging to catch up until she reached him.

He had his crossbow slung over one shoulder and she could see a gun peeking out of the back of his pants—not that she was staring at the back of his pants…well maybe she was, but it wasn’t such a bad view and it was his fault for walking so fast.

“Where are we going?” She called to him since he was a few steps ahead.

"To the gates, gonna take a lap around the prison.”

 They reached the perimeter not shortly after. Daryl undid a chain and pulled the gate forward waiting for her to enter before he followed her in and shut the door right as Jack attempted to walk through. “Not you, ya’ mutt.”

“Stay Jack,” Kate said more kindly as Jack whined on the other side of the fence. Kate reached her fingers through the opening and Jack licked them once. “Down.” She commanded and he lay in the grass. “All the way.” He laid his head in between his paws, his mismatched eyes looking up at her in obedience. She smiled at him before turning to survey her new surroundings. They were on a path that seemed to wrap all the way around the prison, a gate on either side. There were a few walkers stumbling along on the outside, the sound of the gate rattling making them come forwards curiously. She unconsciously stepped closer to Daryl, who was collecting a few metal rods from far side of the gates. He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow as she bumped into his shoulder.

“Sorry,” she apologized.

 “Here,” he said, ignoring her apology and handing her a rod.

“What’s this for?” she inquired, weighing the hot metal in her hands.

Without answering her Daryl strode over the fence where walkers began gathering, their snarls a continuous background noise. Their rotting fingers attempted to reach through the diamonds at Daryl, one getting dangerously close to grabbing his leather jacket. Before it got the chance to he thrust his metal rod through a diamond, piercing the walker directly between the eyes, before jerking it back through the fence as the corpse fell to the ground. Kate watched in fascination as he took down two more in rapid succession, his arm muscles flexing as he did so. He had ripped off the arms of the dirty blue button up he was wearing all the way past the shoulders and Kate could see the muscles of his shoulder rolling with every thrust.

He turned towards her, wiping sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, though it didn’t do much good since he was sweating profusely in the heat of the afternoon. He looked up after rubbing the sweat out of his eyes. “Wha’? Too much for ya’?”

She realized he was referring to her very open mouthed staring. “Um…no, I—I…” She stepped up next to him and drew herself up to her full height. A female corpse stumbled towards Kate, growling with her disconnected jaw. She pressed herself right up to the fence, her top teeth jutting through the holes. Kate drew a breath through her mouth, the smell of rotting flesh making her stomach turn over. She widened her stance and adjusted the rod so that she was holding it in both hands. She could feel Daryl’s eyes on the back of her head. With a determined thrust she jabbed the rod through a hole in the fence, catching the walker in the cheek, which was not where she was aiming. She bent her knees and pushed her weight against the rod with a grunt, so that she could change the angle and jam it up into the brain.

She coughed once, a shudder running through her entire body as she heard the squelch of tissue and flesh ripping before the walker crumpled, the rod still imbedded in its head. Kate jerked her arms backwards, straining her muscles as she tried to dislocate the rod. Two more walkers had stumbled over at the noise of her exertion. One reached through the diamonds, its fingers brushing against her arm. She yelped and pulled harder but it was not needed for the hand fell limp before it could try to grab her again. Daryl had come up next to her, and stabbed it through the fence.

He reached his arm around her shoulder and grabbed her rod in the middle, pulling back in one quick jerk, releasing it from the dead flesh of the woman she had stabbed. The release of the tension she’d been pulling on caused her to stumble backwards right into Daryl. He caught her around the middle as she fell into his chest, his other arm thrusting out to stab the final walker. They both panted quietly for a few moments, Kate acutely aware of their proximity. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest from adrenaline. His arm tightened around her ribcage for a moment, she could feel his breathing on the top of her head, smell his skin all around her.

Suddenly he released her and she was shoved forward and away from him. He turned away from her towards the fence. She wiped her own sweat from her forehead, still panting from her exertion. Daryl kicked the fence where the bodies had piled and then turned towards her. Their eyes connected before his flickered down to her arm. He took a stepped forward and reached for her arm. Confused, she held it out to him and he ghosted his fingers over the spot where the walker had tried to grab her, a streak of blood was smeared down her bicep. Her flesh broke out into goosebumps which definitely had nothing to do with the weather at his feather light touch. “Not scratched,” Daryl mumbled, almost as if to himself before he turned and walked away.

Kate looked after him bewildered before walking slowly after him. They were silent for about twenty yards. Kate took to kicking stones that she spotted in the dirt as she walked. She kept stealing furtive glances at her companion who kept turning his head and scanning the field beyond them. She sighed loudly, trying to get his attention but with no success. They continued to walk for a long while; she was keeping track of the sun moving across the sky. She kicked one rock particularly hard in her frustration and it flew forwards smacking into the back of Daryl’s calf. He stopped walking and spun around, looking down at the offending projectile and then turning his attention to Kate who was biting her lip and looking up at him sheepishly from under her eyelashes.

"Sorry, I was bored. Don’t know my own strength I guess,” she laughed humorlessly.

 “I’d say,” he snapped at her.

“What is that supposed to mean?” she retaliated, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. It was hot and she was getting tired, they’d already gone half way around the prison, which was at least a mile all the way around. The sun had sunk down behind the far side of the prison but the humidity still clung to her skin like she was under water.

Daryl moved towards her, stopping so close that Kate felt the urge to step back, but she held her ground, staring up at him. “You can’t even kill one walker without my help.” He growled at her, she could feel his hot breath against her moist skin.

“Well, I’m sorry. The rod got stuck.” She jutted her chin up, bringing their faces even closer together. If she just stood up on her tip toes their noses would brush. She could see the beginnings of stubble on his cheeks and a drop of sweat that was hanging from a particularly long strand of hair hanging in front of his eyes.

“You’re useless,” he hissed through clenched teeth, his blue eyes steely.

“I am not!” She fumed. “I killed a few of those walkers the other day! I’ve survived this far, you cannot tell me I am useless. That’s not fair!”

“Fair?” He repeated incredulously before taking a step back and running his hand through his already disheveled hair. “Nothin’ ‘bout this world is fair ‘nymore. And ya’ gotta learn to survive with whatcha have. You ain’t always gonna have a gun to getcha through.”

“Well then teach me! You can’t expect me to just be a well oiled killing machine like you. I’m sorry I’m not a hunter, or a sniper, or a machete wielding madwoman. You know what I was before this? A fuckin’ librarian. Sorry if my life and my job before all this went down didn’t prepare me to kill people!” She stormed forward—bumping his shoulder with hers as she past him. She was met with no resistance since he turned so she could get by. She had already walked a few paces, her long legs carrying her away quickly before she heard the dirt crunching beneath his boots as he followed her. They walked along for another few yards in silence. As they rounded a particular blind spot hidden by a tower she heard the tell tale snarling of the deceased.

She looked behind her to Daryl, who was watching her with those blue eyes of his. She turned back around, flipping her braid behind her shoulder and picking up her pace. The dead man in front of her was chewing on a piece of the fence. Before she could think about what she was doing she jabbed the rod into his head, making a square bull’s-eye. She channeled all her frustration into the blow, making the metal come out the back of the skull. The sound of bone cracking was oddly satisfying and she pushed her foot against the fence, flexing the strong muscles in her leg and yanked the rod out of the rotting thing’s head as it dropped to the ground.

She glanced towards Daryl who had his arms crossed and was continuously following her with his gaze. She rolled her eyes, flicked the rod towards the ground dispelling the blood from it and marched forwards again.  Daryl picked up his pace so that he was walking beside her.

“Feel better?” He inquired, his voice going up just a bit in amusement.

She sent him a nasty glare, curling her lip at him and giving a raspy sigh.

“Did ya’ really mean whatcha said?” He asked casually, rewrapping his hand in his crossbow strap and shifting it higher onto his shoulder.

“What?” she retorted, her steps slowing some what out of curiosity.

“About me teachin’ ya’?” he glanced sideways at her as if to gauge her reaction.

She didn’t speak right away, momentarily stunned by his question. She realized that they had come full circle and that they were approaching the other side of the giant entrance to the jail. When they reached the place where they would exit the fences she turned and leaned against the door so as to block him. She crossed her arms over her chest and peered up at him in the dusk. “You offering?”

He shrugged his shoulders, repositioning his crossbow.

“Well I accept,” she smirked.

“Fine. I’ll teach ya’ but only ‘cause I can’t rightly let you back out there without somethin’ to help.” He pushed her aside gently so that he could get to the lock.

“So you guys are still planning on turning us away as soon as Charlie’s better?” She couldn’t help the edge of panic that tainted her voice.

He grunted but otherwise did not respond, avoiding her eyes by pulling the keys from his belt loop and unlocking the door.

She stepped through after him and leaned against a pole as she waited for him to bolt it back up. “So, what are you? Rick’s right hand man? Second in command? General? Deputy? Something like that?” She questioned, a teasing lit to her voice as they started towards the prison.

“What’re ya’ yappin’ about now?”

“The keys, the way you just waltzed in here with me and Charlie and no one questioned you.” She listed. “You may think I’m useless but I’m not blind.”

He didn’t answer her except to shake his head and sigh through his nose but she could see the upwards tilt of his lips from the corner of her eye. She looked back over her shoulder towards the gate with a satisfied smile on her face before she stopped short.

“Where’s Jack?” She gasped, grabbing onto Daryl’s forearm before she could think. She felt his muscles tighten under her grip but he didn’t pull away. Instead he whistled once loudly. They waited for a moment before Jack came running from the other side of the barn towards them, followed by a boy who chased after him with a smile on his face, whooping excitedly. Once the boy looked up from the dog towards Kate and Daryl he stopped completely. He shifted from foot to foot before continuing forwards at a slower pace. Jack ran forward and skidded to a stop. Kate knelt down and let Jack lick her face as she cooed to him.

When the boy came within about a yard of her he stopped, his blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Who are you?” His voice was harder than she would’ve expected from a boy his age, which she guessed was around thirteen. He wore a sheriff’s hat on his head, a strange piece of attire she thought as she looked at him. His brown hair hung down in his eyes and Kate couldn’t help notice the similarity between his hair and Daryl’s. He took another step forward. “I asked you a question.”

“I’m Kate Hawthorne.” She smiled at him kindly. “What’s your name?”

He turned to Daryl without responding to her. “What is she doing here?” He demanded.

“Found her in the woods yesterday with her friend, whose injured. Brought ‘em back here for Hershel to look at.”

“Is that your dog?” The boy turned to her again.

“Yep, his name is Jack.” The dog wagged his tail in response to his name.

“Why do you have him? He’s a burden. You should have gotten rid of him.”

“Really?” She asked skeptically, her hands on her hip. “It didn’t look like you thought that when you were running in the field with him.”

The boy scowled at her before turning on his heel and storming off towards the prison. Kate raised her eyebrow after him while Daryl huffed beside her.

“Who was that?” Kate inquired, attempting to conceal her amusement.

“Carl—he’s…Carl.” Daryl attempted to explain before following after the young boy. Kate slipped into step next to him, Jack trotting ahead of them and falling in beside Carl who looked down at the dog but did not acknowledge him besides that. Kate thought the image looked familiar but couldn’t place why—maybe she was having one of those déjà vu moments. 

“Alright, so what’s next?”

“Dinner.” Daryl replied without turning towards her.

“Great, I’m starving.”

“Everyone’s gonna be there.” He cautioned.

“So…?” Kate demanded, clearing her throat and feeling her heartbeat start to quicken.

"Jus’ sayin’.” He smirked.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, as they neared the dining area the sound of many over lapping voices caused Kate to pause. She was wiping her palms on her jean shorts nervously when Daryl turned around to look at her. “You comin’?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry.” She walked forwards, Daryl waiting for her to catch up to him before moving forwards again. They rounded the corner and Kate breathed deeply through her nose. Daryl was right, there was definitely more people here than there had been in the morning. Kate spotted Rick sitting at a table with Hershel and the young boy from earlier. His eyes were following her and Daryl from across the room as they walked up to the counter where a young black woman was handing out food. She smiled at them as they approached.

“Daryl.” She greeted and then her eyes fell on Kate, they narrowed momentarily in an assessing way as they quickly raked up and down Kate’s body before landing on her face. “You must be Kate.” She determined with a small smile. Kate nodded and accepted her bowl of stew with murmured thanks. “I’m Sasha. I hope you’re settling in well.”

Kate nodded again before she followed closely to Daryl as they weaved their way through the crowded tables. They stopped at the one where Rick was sitting. The young boy and Rick on one side, Hershel on the other. Daryl threw his leg over the bench and sat down, leaving the only seat open to Kate between him and Hershel. Before she sat she paused.

“Uh,” she cleared her throat.

“Wha’?” Daryl questioned, looking up at her.

“I don’t know if you want me sitting here.”

“’Course, where else would you sit?” Daryl determined. She looked towards Rick, who she saw flick his eyes between her and Daryl curiously.

“I just…it’s just…”

“It’s alright Kate, we don’t bite,” Hershel coaxed, smiling up at her.

She laughed. “It’s not that. It’s just, I’m left handed and I don’t think Daryl will appreciate me elbowing him all dinner.”

“Oh, well you can sit by Carl,” Rick gestured to the empty seat on the end of the table next to the boy.

“Dad,” Carl bemoaned at the suggestion.

“Quiet Carl.” Rick commanded.

Kate looked in shock from the boy to the man next to him and back. The longer she looked the more it made sense, the resemblance was almost uncanny. She willed her legs to move and went around the table to sit next to Carl, who scooted as close to his father as possible. Kate stared down the table at Rick in blatant curiosity. She felt something move under the table and jumped as it brushed against her leg.

Everyone at the table looked at her when she ducked her head under the table to come face to face with her Australian shepherd. “Oh, hello Jack.” She smiled and sat back up, beginning to eat her stew, it was nothing more than water with some meat and salt but she was too hungry to even care. She ate quietly, trying to ignore the silence that had settled over the table.

“Dad, I can’t believe you let her bring in a dog. It’s just a useless mouth to feed.” Carl glared at his father.

His father shared a small, amused smile with Daryl from across the table. “That’s not what you said earlier today. If I recall correctly you said something along the lines of ‘Dad! You got me a dog? I can’t believe it!’” He bumped his son’s shoulder who stared down at his almost finished meal as if it’d done him a personal wrong while all the adults laughed.

“You know,” Kate said as she got control of her giggles. “You can play with Jack whenever you want.”

“I don’t want to play with your stupid mutt.” Carl burst out and stood abruptly from the table.

“Carl.” Rick said a warning clear in his voice.

Carl stormed off towards the entrance to the prison. Jack jumped through the hole in the bench Carl had just vacated and ran after the boy—who, once he noticed Jack was following him, kicked out at him, catching Jack in the shoulder. Jack stumbled and stopped walking to stare after his new friend in confusion. In the same moment Rick stood, excusing himself from the table. As he walked past Kate he squeezed her shoulder in apology and took off after his son.

The remaining three people ate in silence for a few minutes before Hershel spoke up. “I apologize on Carl’s behalf. As you can imagine, it’s been hard for someone his age…” he trailed off, looking at Kate beseechingly.

Kate smiled softly in response; patting Jack, who was sitting next to her, on the head. “Of course. I understand completely.”

She finished quickly, the uncomfortableness of feeling people’s eyes on her curiously making her squirm. She stood up as soon as her last bite was swallowed. “Is it alright if I go check on Charlie?”

Hershel nodded his head and she looked towards Daryl who didn’t respond for a moment, his eyes searching her face before he dipped his head once and went back to eating. She dropped her bowl off with Sasha before hurrying out of the dining area and into the prison. She saw no one else in the cell block, each of her steps echoing loudly in the cavernous space. When she reached Charlie’s bed she noticed that Beth was sitting with her, she turned when Kate reached the opening.

“Hey,” Kate greeted.

“Hey,” Beth parroted in her sweet, calm voice.

“I can take over for a few minutes if you want to go eat.” Kate suggested as she sat on the bed, gathering Charlie’s hand in both of hers.

“Oh, no. That’s alright,” Beth said, her doe eyes darting out into the corridor.

“Really, it’s fine. It’s the least I can do. I promise I won’t go snooping or anything. Scouts honor.” Kate smiled, crossing her finger over her heart. Beth bit her lip but in the silence Kate heard her stomach rumble at the thought of food. “Go, if anything happens I’ll come out as quickly as possible.”

“Well, alright.” Beth conceded in her soft southern drawl. She scurried away before anything else could be said.

Kate sighed and pushed Charlie’s hair back from her face. “Charlie, love. I need you to wake up soon. We have to convince these people to let us stay, and I don’t know what to do. It’s too much for me to shoulder on my own. I miss you, come back to me.” She lifted Charlie’s cool, damp hand and kissed the back of it. At the same moment a sound made Kate’s head snap up so quickly she almost smacked it on the top bunk. She dropped Charlie’s hand and followed the noise out of the cell as if in a trance.

Her feet moved without her knowledge bringing her to the bottom of the stairs that stood in the middle of the cell block. She had yet to venture upstairs and her foot hesitated on the first step before she placed it down and began to climb the stairs. She walked slowly, the darkness from the sunset outside not giving her much light to see by. Her heart thumped in her ears as she reached the landing. Following the sound she came to a green curtain which was floating lightly in the draft that flowed through the building. She grabbed onto the soft fabric and took a breath. The noise did not stop or go away and for a moment Kate thought she must be going crazy. She took a breath, looked behind her into the empty cell block with paranoia before she pushed aside the fabric hanging as a makeshift door to the cell and stepped inside.

She was surprised to see an actual wooden crib tucked into the corner. Making her way over to the strange object she peeked in and gasped at what she saw: a little baby girl squirming and red faced from crying. For a moment she was in shock, the mewling cries had not been enough to prove to Kate what she was hearing: a child. The noise brought back the memories of hunkering down on the outskirts of Atlanta and hearing the sound of babies wailing, hungry in the night. Yet, even though that memory was painful, this sound lifted her heart. It was the sound of the future, one that may not be so bad in a place like this with strong sturdy walls to keep the dangers on the outside. Her motherly instinct kicked in after this brief moment of marvel and she reached into the crib, scooping the squalling baby up and tucking her against Kate’s side without thinking of anything but her need to calm the squalling child.

Kate made humming noises in the back of her throat, swaying her hips, and rubbing the baby’s back gently. She laid her cheek against the soft brown down of the baby’s head, closing her eyes and breathing in that baby powder smell that was so normal for a moment Kate could imagine herself in a nursery from a different world, humming to a child who was only there in her dreams, dreams that no matter how much she denied it, were probably never coming true now. The crying stopped and turned into the soft mewling as the baby quieted down.

“That’s better,” Kate smiled, her eyes still closed against the world, keeping this moment in, “Hello…” she began but trailed of when she realized she didn’t know the baby’s name.

“Judith.”

Kate spun around, her eyes flying open. She saw Rick, who had obviously heard the cries and come investigating, standing in the doorway.

“I’m so sorry, there was no one around and she started crying. I was so confused, and I found her in her crib. I just wanted to comfort her. I won’t do it again, I don’t mean to be overstepping, y’all are being so hospitable to me. I wouldn’t possibly do anything to jeopardize that. I promise. You must believe me.” She begged desperately.

Rick help up a hand to stop her. “It’s fine,” his eyes flicked to the baby in her arms, gurgling quietly on her shoulder. “You’re good with her.” He was examining the baby in Kate’s arms intently, as if despite his words, he was looking for harm. Kate followed his gaze and they both watched Judith play happily with Kate’s braid until Rick decided she was indeed fine.

“Hello Judith,” Kate cooed, pulling back a bit so that she could look into the baby’s face. She bounced Judith lightly, the warm weight a comfort in her arms. “She’s just beautiful. Whose is she?” Kate questioned, looking around Rick as if the mother would happen to appear out of the air behind him at her summons.

“Mine.” Rick replied gruffly.

Kate snapped her eyes to him over Judith’s head in surprise. Her gaze trailed down to his left hand, which was resting on his hip, with his fingers pointing towards her. Even in the low light of the prison the glint of a wedding ring was unmistakable.

“Your wife..?” Her question died on her lips as Rick shook his head. “I’m sorry.” Kate amended, her eyes beginning to sting and the outline of Rick began to blur from tears.

Rick stepped towards her, cupping the back of Judith’s head and resting a sturdy hand on Kate’s shoulder. Kate smiled at him and sniffed, using the hand not holding Judith to her hip to wipe at her eyes with the corner of her shirt, catching the tears in the black cotton before they fell.

“Sorry, sympathy crier.” She explained, “I know a lot of people hate that, they think I don’t understand but I just can’t stand anyone’s pain. It’s always been like this…” she trailed off as Rick began to shake his head.

“Don’t apologize. I think that most everyone has forgotten how to feel in this world, blocked it out or numbed it up, dulled the world into nothing but their own survival and the survival of those they love. Now I’m not saying that’s the wrong thing to do, because it could save your life, and to each his own, but don’t ever let that empathy go. You’ve kept something so many of us have forgotten or ignored. Our humanity. Our connection to others—which the world was built on. Don’t you lose it. It’s refreshing and real, and completely normal. Cry if you need to, if you want to. And if anyone says anything about it, you let me know.” He squeezed her shoulder and though she could feel him looking at her she kept her gaze downwards, letting a few more tears splash into the dirt on the concrete floor, but she nodded all the same.

Rick wiped a tear off her face when she looked up again and his calloused thumb against her cheek made her cry anew, the memories of her own father, who’s hands had been turned rough like sand paper after years of construction work comforting her after a hard day. Rick hesitatingly put an arm around her shoulder, tucking Judith in between them. They stood like that for a small number of heartbeats while Kate took a few shuddering breaths and mentally berated herself for breaking down in front of a stranger, the man who ultimately decided whether or not to allow her and Charlie safety. Yet Rick inspired a kind of peace and safeness in her that she had not felt since this whole thing began and the feel of a friendly arm around her shoulder and the weight of the child in her arms anchored her and as she breathed more deeply her head cleared. She had known that there where still people in the world worth fighting for it, and she felt as if she had come home, finally.

These people had sheltered her when she and Charlie were both hurt and incapable of providing, they asked for nothing but a share of the work in return. They received trust, as much as could be given to her and she was thankful for that. Her bones felt so frail…as if she was a bird who had finally learned how to fly but was coasting on winds that she knew were too good to last. She pushed the foreboding feeling aside and settled into the safe haven that the prison provided for her.

Kate pulled back slightly and Rick took that as a cue to step back and give her some space. She wiped her eyes with the corner of her shirt again. She gave Rick a watery smile, which he returned with a quick upwards quirk of his lips. “You remind me of my dad.” She blurted.

Rick blinked at her confession but didn’t say anything, rubbing a hand over his stubble, scratching under his chin with the backs of his fingers.

“I thought for so long that he was coming to find me, but he’s all the way in Ohio. If he’s even made it this far, I hope he hasn’t tried looking for me. He’s got other people to take care of, my step mother and little brother.”

“I’m sure if he could he’d be out searching for you,” Rick inserted, uncertain if it was the right thing to say.

Kate gave Rick a strong, genuine smile flashing a bit of teeth while she laughed. “Oh, I don’t doubt it. I know if he could he’d be on his way here right now, the stubborn ass.” Rick and her shared a brief laugh before she sobered up again, “…and for a long time I hoped he would. But I don’t hope anymore.”

“You shouldn’t give up hope; he may still be out there.”

“He is. He loves me too much to let this pesky disease be a problem, but what I’m saying is that I don’t want him looking for me. I want him focusing on my brother and the rest of our family. They deserve being looked after.”

“You deserve being looked after too, Kate. I promise we do everything here possible to try and keep each other safe.” Rick shifted from foot to foot, and then looked at her.

“Thank you,” she said, with genuine affection. She wondered if this meant that she was starting to earn the leader’s trust.

A moment later the curtain was pulled back making both of them jump slightly. In the doorway was Daryl, who shared a nod and a look with Rick. “Charlie’s awake. She’s askin’ for ya’.”

“Really?” Kate beamed. When Daryl nodded Kate hastily handed Judith to her father, who took her with practiced ease. Kate turned on her heel and marched under Daryl’s arm where he’d been holding the curtain back, ducking her head so that it didn’t hit the underside of his forearm. He turned and followed her as she made her way quickly down the corridor. 


	6. The Civilized World Accepts as Unforgivable Sin

**Chapter Six**

_The Civilized World Accepts as Unforgivable Sin_

***

                “Hey sweetie,” Kate says, her voice thick as she sits down on the edge of Charlie’s bed. Daryl stands in the doorway, Rick at his shoulder holding Judith who is gurgling quietly. Hershel busies himself checking Charlie’s pulse.

                “Kate? What’s going on?” Charlie put a hand to her head and groans. “My head hurts like a motherfucker.”

                Hershel’s eyebrows rose in quiet admonishment and Kate grabbed the hand that Charlie put against her forehead. “You fell and hit your head pretty hard. Daryl brought us to the prison and you’ve been out for about a day and a half.”

                “Hon, I am gonna need you to sit up, you think you can do that?” Hershel asked.

                Charlie looks at him, blinking her large eyes owlishly. “Do I know you?”

                “Charlie, Hershel. Hershel, Charlie. Also, that’s Rick and Judith,” Kate said leaning out of the way and pointing behind her so that when Charlie sat up, propped by a few pillows, she could see the father and daughter pair standing next to Daryl.

                “Is that…a baby?” Charlie asked, her eyebrows going from furrowed in pain to rising in confusion.

                “Yeah,” Rick answered for Kate, stepping farther into the cell.

                “Wow.”

                Kate laughed slightly and when the three men in the room looked to her she just shrugged. “It’s very rare that Charlie is at a loss for words.”

                Charlie stuck her tongue out at Kate who winked at her in return and squeezed her hand gently. “So Hershel, right?” Charlie turned her attention to her caregiver. “Thanks, I guess.”

                Hershel smiled kindly and nodded to her, checking through her short blonde hair to see how the wound on the back of her head was doing.

                “And thank you,” Charlie ground out a bit more bitterly, her hazel eyes peering at Daryl.

                “Wha’ for?” Daryl, who was leaning with his arms crossed on the far wall, asked.

                “I know Kate couldn’t have gotten me up on that horse by herself. So, thanks for the save. I guess I owe you one.”

                Daryl nodded at her but didn’t say anything. Charlie looked down, picking a piece of thread on the blanket covering her legs before accepting the glass of water Hershel handed her.

                “So, what’s next?” Charlie inquired after gulping down the water in a few sips. Kate was glad she asked because she was wondering the same thing. Rick shifted Judith to the other side and looked both at Daryl, then Hershel. Kate followed the eye contact but couldn’t make out the expressions on any of the men’s faces—their small idiosyncrasies foreign to her. She shared her own nervous look with Charlie while the three men silently debated.

                “For starters,” Hershel began, “you’re going to be laid up for a few days at least on that ankle of yours.”

                Charlie groaned and Kate pet her hair affectionately, a move which caused Charlie to slap her hand away half heartedly. 

                “Kate so far has been a good guest. Follows orders.” Rick turned to Daryl for confirmation. Kate’s eyes flickered to the quiet man as well, finding that his blue eyes were already on her. She felt heat rise to her cheeks at the intensity of his gaze but she held his stare determinedly. He dipped his head in affirmation, Kate releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Rick looked back at her and she flashed him the brightest and sincerest smile she could possibly muster. “If you can comply,” Rick said to Charlie, “then I don’t see why you both can’t stay.”

                Kate jumped up in excitement, hooking her arms around Rick’s neck as he stumbled back a step. She stepped back quickly, her hands rising to her mouth as she realized what she’d done. “Ohmigod. I’m so sorry.” The blush on her cheeks was real this time, spreading all the way down her chest as it tended to do whenever she was truly embarrassed. Someone began guffawing and she looked over Rick’s shoulder to see Daryl with his head down, chuckling into his hand. She smacked him on the shoulder and he looked at her, his eyes sparkling with mirth enjoying her discomfort.

                “You know, I haven’t said if I even want to ‘comply with your terms.’” Charlie spoke, who had been watching the interaction quietly.

                “She does. We do. It’s fine,” Kate shot Charlie a stern look, her eyes flashing dangerously. Charlie crossed her arms but said nothing else. After a tense moment, the previous light atmosphere gone, Charlie nodded her head.

                “Alright, I think that’s enough excitement for right now,” Hershel said, looking at his patient. “Charlie, I think you need a bit more rest.”

“What? I just woke up!” Charlie argued, though her eyes were already starting to close in exhaustion.

Hershel patted Charlie’s knee in sympathy. “Kate, you can come back tomorrow and see her.” He determined with finality.

                “Thank you Hershel,” Kate smiled, leaning over to kiss Charlie on the cheek. “Be good.” She whispered in Charlie’s ear.

                “I will,” Charlie grumbled, hugging Kate with one arm before she pulled away. “Taft is going to stay with me right?” Charlie asked, referring to her faithful golden retriever, who was lying at the end of the bed.

                “Of course,” Rick insisted. “It was nice to officially meet you, Charlie.” He reached out his hand, which Charlie took and shook firmly.

                “Alrigh’?” Daryl asked by way of farewell, knowing that Charlie had not quite trusted him before.

                “Yeah, we’re good.” Charlie said, actually smiling at him.

                Kate patted Charlie’s hand once more before the three of them left the cell, leaving Hershel with his irritable patient. They wondered into the common area outside the cells, where everyone was lounging about. A few people were playing board games in a corner, while others talked idly or read books. This caught Kate’s eye specifically and she watched as a young girl turned the page, her eyes eagerly skimming over the cover of the book. Rick had wondered off to the far corner where she saw Carl sitting with Beth. Daryl was about to take off to wherever it was he went during down time but she found herself reaching out and grabbing his bicep.

                He turned, looking down at where her hand was resting on his arm. His eyes flickered up to hers and she dropped her hand. “Don’t leave me.”

                He raised his eyebrow, his mouth pressed into a hard line.

                “Um—I didn’t mean---I don’t know why that came out. I just meant...were did those books come from?” Kate stumbled over her words and then bit her bottom lip to stop herself from talking. Daryl followed her gaze over to the group of people reading.

                “Prison had a library.”

                “Oh, duh. Can we go?” Kate’s voice rose excitedly. Her hand reaching out as if to grab Daryl again before she decided better and twisted her fingers together in front of her instead.

                Daryl sighed through his nose and scuffed his boot on the concrete. He looked towards the books and then the woman before him, whose eyes had not left the reading material. “’Course.” Kate’s eyes snapped to him hopefully, only to find that he was looking at her in confusion, like his voice was not his own or he had just answered her in a foreign language that he previously didn’t know he could speak. Kate almost laughed at the adorably perplexed face he was making. His jaw muscle twitched. “Tomorrow, I’ve got things to do tonight.”

                Without further explanation he turned on his heel and disappeared out a door. Kate blinked at his sudden departure, finding herself standing alone in a room full of strangers. Her heart beat skipped and her palms began to sweat, she looked around for anyone at all who looked somewhat friendly but mostly people were just ignoring her. Preferring to stick with the close groups of friends that they’d already made. She wished that Charlie was better already, so that she wasn’t completely isolated. Just as she had made up her mind to return to her cell and go to sleep Rick approached her, baby Judith gone from his arms. She found her sitting on her big brother’s lap, Beth holding her hands, singing some sort of jingle to her. The three laughed together and Kate couldn’t help but smile.

                Jack was sitting by Carl’s side, and Kate shook her head fondly at the Australian Shepherd’s choice of companion. She figured she could go one night without the dog; they’d spent enough time together over the past two years.

                Rick came to stand beside her, hands on his hips and followed her gaze, a soft, distant smile on his own face. “I’ve talked to Maggie.”

                Kate looked at him expectantly so that he knew she had his attention.

                “She’s gonna teach you how we do the laundry and cooking tomorrow. I know Daryl took you around the perimeter to show you what we do with build-ups and daily watches. You won’t be put on night watches till later and even then it will be with someone else from camp at first.”

                She nodded, seeking out the pretty short haired woman who was sitting next to Glenn, they weren’t talking but observing the other’s quietly. “Sounds good to me.”

                “Good.” They stood for a few more moments companionably. “Well…I’ll see you in the morning.” Rick clasped her shoulder before starting to move off.

                Kate captured his hand in hers, causing him to stop. “I just wanted to say thank you, so much. From the bottom of my heart.”

                Rick squeezed her hand and then they let go. “If you continue the way you are, you’ll be a valuable member of the group.”

                “That’s not what Daryl says,” she snipped, and then covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, god. I didn’t mean that. I just—“ she stopped when she realized that Rick was shaking his head and chuckling quietly.

                “No need to apologize. That’s just Daryl. He’ll warm up to ya’.” With that Rick sauntered off, his cowboy boots echoing across the room. Before anyone else could approach her she slipped back into the cell block, making her way to room. Once there she readied for bed and slipped under the covers, falling quickly to sleep, lulled by the sounds of everyone’s quiet voices in the other room.

                “Morning sunshine! Laundry day.”

                Kate woke up to Maggie’s smiling face. She stretched. “Okay, okay. I’m up. Just give me a minute.” She grinned back at the woman who nodded and ducked out of her cell. She rummaged through her back pack, pulling out loose red tank top. She sighed, looking down at her obviously dirty shorts before shucking them off in favor of a pair of white cut-offs. She took the tie out of her hair and ran her fingers through it, taking out the knots and letting the waves fall down her back. Pulling her Converses back on she gathered all her other clothes in her arms, dumping them into a laundry basket that Maggie had left at the bottom of her bed. She was glad that she was finally going to be able to try and get her clothes somewhat clean.

                She picked up the basket, balancing it on her hip and stepping out of the cell. Maggie had her own basket that she was holding out in front of her. “Alright, I’ll get upstairs, you do bottom. Then we will drop these off outside and go over to D block. Knock on the outside of the bars before going in, if no one answers just go ahead, everyone knows today is laundry day.”

                Kate nodded to show she understood and Maggie smiled before climbing the stairs. It did not take long to collect the laundry, they filled about six baskets by the time it was all said and done. Maggie had set up three large basins of water outside in the front field. It was slightly over cast today, the sun hidden behind the clouds, which was a blessing since Kate didn’t know how much more her skin could take of the blistering heat.

                They separated the laundry and dumped the first load into the first basin. Maggie and Kate worked in silence for the first few minutes, Maggie only pausing to give Kate instructions on one thing or another. Kate noticed that Rick had been busy this morning, two of the three sides of the fence for the extra horse pen had already been placed; he and Carl must’ve collected the wood yesterday. She could see the father and son working together to get it finished. Jack was lying in the grass not far from the duo.

After what was probably about an hour Percy and Annie came over to investigate the water basins full of soap. Maggie and Kate took a break to pet the horses.

                “I miss mine.” Maggie sighed as she scratched Annie behind the ears.

                “You had horses?”

                Maggie nodded, running her fingers thoughtfully through Annie’s black forelock. “That’s how we met the others; Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and so forth. We had a farm just off the highway. My uncle shot Carl,” she smiled at the memory.

                “What?” Kate asked incredulously. Peeking over Percy’s shoulder at the woman as if she’d lost her mind.

                “Accidentally.” Maggie assured her, “but yes. Daddy saved him. The rest is history I guess.”

                The horses, done with the attention, wondered off. “I’m sorry about your farm.” Kate said truthfully as both women watched the horses retreating.

                “We’ve all lost something or someone.”

                “Or someones,” Kate sighed, looking wistfully into the trees beyond the prison.

                “Or someones.” Maggie agreed.

                They went back to scrubbing the clothing for a while, hanging them to dry along the fence as need be. Kate carried a load over to the fence and was hanging them up when Daryl came around the corner. She had seen him at a distance a bit earlier but then had lost track of him as she worked. She smiled at him as he came closer. He raised a hand to flick a salute at her as he passed but said nothing. She watched him walk away, a damp pair of jeans in her hands.

                “So…Daryl?” Maggie said coming up next to her.

                Kate jumped slightly, dropping the jeans in the dirt. “What?—Dammit. Now I’m going to have to wash these again.” She picked them up off the ground. Maggie laughed at her and Kate couldn’t help but chuckle herself. The two women watched as Daryl disappeared in the distance around a guard tower. “So, you didn’t know Glenn before all this went down?”

                Maggie shook her head.

                “But you guys got married?” Kate asked, gesturing to the wedding band and engagement ring on her finger as they both bent down to pick up the empty baskets and head back up the hill for the next load.

                “In a way.”

                Kate stopped and turned to her companion, her mouth dropping open. “Are you telling me you never had an official wedding?”

                “Well…no, I mean…we just never got around to it.” Maggie shrugged. “Besides, it doesn’t matter.”

                “Woah, woah. I’m going to stop you right there. Why wouldn’t you want a celebration at the least? Come on, when was the last time you went to anything even resembling a party?” Kate’s eyes began to dance mischievously.

                “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a good idea—“

                “Well why not? Raise everyone’s spirits. The kids would love it!”

                “Are you sure you’re speaking for the kids and not yourself?” Maggie drawled skeptically, but with a smile. She seemed to be getting genuinely excited about the idea.

                “I’m going to ask Rick. I’ll convince him. Just you watch. Oh, it’ll be so great. You and Glenn could go on a run and pick out outfits. There’s got to be a bridal shop in a town around here somewhere. Oh, and you’ll have to pick bridesmaids. And we’ll have to get flowers.” Kate started ticking things off on her fingers.

                Maggie laughed along with her, “I guess it could be a fun time.”

                “That’s the spirit!” Kate beseeched, hooking her arm with Maggie’s. The two women giggled as they finally stopped at the basins, only to notice Glenn was waiting by them.

                “Hey sweetie,” Maggie said, giving Glenn a gentle kiss.

                “Hey Glenn!” Kate said, grinning with satisfaction.

                “What’s with all the giggling?” Glenn asked suspiciously.

                “I’m throwing you a wedding!”

                Glenn raised his eyebrow at his wife. “Oh?”

                Maggie shrugged. “Thought it might be good for morale. You know, after everything…”

                “I don’t know, Mags. With the Governor still looming, I don’t think…”

                “The Governor?” Kate asked setting down her washing.

                “Uh…long story. I don’t think we should be the ones to tell you about it. I probably shouldn’t have said anything. I’m…gonna go.” He kissed Maggie on the cheek. “If you want a wedding, that’s fine with me.” He added quietly to Maggie before running off.

                “Start thinking about a best man!” Maggie called after him, a smile on her face.

Kate and Maggie lay in the grass after they had finished all the laundry. They were waiting for the sun, which had finally broken through the clouds, to dry the clothes. Kate had picked a bunch of little white flowers, weaving their stems together. Maggie had her eyes closed and her hands clasped on her stomach. Kate placed her completed work on her head, before starting on another one. When she finished with that she placed it gently on Maggie’s head.

Maggie opened her eyes and took the circular ring of flowers off of her head, to finger the handiwork. “Flower crowns?”

“Flower crowns,” Kate confirmed with a smile. Maggie snorted a laugh before placing hers back on her head. Kate fiddled with pieces of grass, bent over as she sat cross legged.

“Is that a four-leaf clover?” Maggie asked, her finger reaching up to gently poke Kate in her right shoulder blade.

“Yeah, luck of the Irish,” she confirmed, knowing Maggie was talking about the detailed tattoo on her shoulder.

“You believe in that?”

“Kept me around this long,” Kate answered with a shrug. Maggie said nothing in response and Kate figured she’d drifted back off to sleep. Jack came padding over, obviously having been bored of sitting around while the Grimes’ worked. He dropped a stick in her lap. She twiddled it in her fingers before smiling at her faithful dog. “Sit Jack,” she commanded. He immediately sat down, his eyes never leaving the stick in her hand. She reached behind her head, causing Jack to dance sideways. She raised her eyebrow at him and he sat down again. She chucked the stick as far as she could. It soared through the air, coming to land right on the other side of the inner fence. Jack tore off after it, only to come to a skidding stop at the fence, whining at the unfairness. Kate sighed, standing up and walking towards the fence. Jack met her in the middle, his eyes staring at her intently. She touched his head as she passed.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to get it for you.” When she looked back up she saw Daryl walking right towards where the toy was. “Daryl!” She called, speeding up a bit towards the fence. He looked up at confusion at his name, when he spotted her he stopped, turning and shielding his eyes from the sun. She came up to the fence and laced her fingers in the diamonds. She used one of her fingers to point down to the stick which was right next to Daryl’s boot.

“Can you hand that to me?”

“Wha’re you wearin’?” He asked instead, not moving to reach for the stick but coming closer to her.

“Um…a tank top and shorts?” She glanced down at her outfit to make sure that was accurate.

“On yer head.” He reached through the fence, fingering one of the flowers from the makeshift head piece. Her cheeks began to tingle, and she hoped that it was hot enough to pass it off as sun burn. She must look ridiculous to him, standing there with her curls a mess about her shoulders with a circle of weeds on her head. She could feel his calloused fingers on her forehead where the circlet lay. She let her fingers extend, the tips of them brushing against the lapel of his leather jacket.

“Umm…a crown?” She went to pull it off her head.

“Don’t take it off.” His voice made her stop mid-action, her hand hovering awkwardly in the air. He blinked at her, seemingly surprised at the demanding tone of his voice.

“Oh...okay.”  They stood like that for a few more seconds, fingers just gently brushing each other, their bodies separated by the fence and not much else. She could feel his breath on her face, could see his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. Jack whined and both of them looked down at the dog, as if they were surprised that he was there. Daryl stepped away, picking up the stick and turning back to her.

“What’s the magic word, Princess?” Daryl jibbed, his mouth quirking to the side in a smile.

“If I’m a princess than I don’t need a magic word, peasant.” She reached her arm through a diamond halfway up her forearm, trying to snatch it out of his hand.

“Peasant?” He sneered, stepping easily out of her reach.

“Serf?”

“Closer.”

“Servant?”

He twirled the stick in his fingers, watching her from under his fringe of unruly brown hair, that smirk still on his face. Jack whined again.

“Can I have the stick, please Sir Daryl?” She cocked her hip to the side and narrowed her eyes at him, but even though she attempted to feign annoyance the corners of her lips couldn’t help but pulling upwards.

Before he could respond they both heard the growling which signaled the arrival of the undead. Daryl went to work in one fluid movement, drawing an arrow out of his quiver. Two walkers had appeared at the fence line. He dispatched them quietly and easily, turning back to Kate with a cocky grin on his face. She rolled her eyes at him and made a grabbing motion with her hand which was still protruding towards him. He placed the stick in her hand, which she then pulled back through the fence. “Yer Highness,” he drawled.

“My hero,” she said sarcastically before turning on her heel and throwing the stick back towards where Maggie and she had been laying on the grass, only to notice that Maggie was not where she’d left her. Kate snapped her gaze farther down the fence line to see Maggie staring blatantly at them. Daryl followed Kate’s lead, looking over to Maggie, who noticing she’d been caught quickly made herself look busy hanging a shirt she’d been holding.

“Um…I’ve got to go.”

“Stop distractin’ me from my job,” Daryl griped.

“You know I break up the tedium of your day.” She winked at him before literally skipping off. She reached Maggie, who was looking past Kate’s shoulder, laughing softly to herself. “What’s so funny?” Kate inquired, coming to a stop and starting to pull dry clothes off the fence.

“You know, I could’ve sworn that Daryl was walking clockwise earlier.” She explained, nodding her head towards the man in question, who was walking away from them, definitely back the way he had come before. Kate shrugged and gently pushed Maggie’s shoulder. They worked quickly and silently for the rest of the afternoon, exchanging a bit more small talk. Once they had returned everyone’s clothing to them, folded and neatly placed on beds, they headed to the mess area for dinner preparation.

They cooked some grits with bits of powdered egg in it and cheese that had been found on a run. Kate was impressed with their stock of food, ordered in neat rows in an abandoned part of the prison. People began showing up as soon as the sun fell behind the trees, casting a dark purple haze over the camp. Kate passed out food to people while Maggie continued cooking so they wouldn’t run out. She was quickly trying to learn everyone’s names and this was one of the most effective ways to do so. Two little blonde girls were next in line. The youngest one pointed to Kate’s head and whispered, “I like your flower crown.” Kate handed her a bowl with a smile.

“Do you?”

“Let’s go Mica,” her older sister insisted. “Leave her alone.”

“It’s okay,” Kate grinned, taking the crown off of her head and placing it on the little girl’s. “You can have this one, I can always make more. If you’d like I can show you and your sister sometime?”

Lizzie’s hard features cracked somewhat and Kate could see the longing behind her eyes. “If it’s alright with you Miss, I think we’d both like that.”

“Of course.” The two girls walked away.

Kate could feel someone’s gaze on her and she looked up to hand a bowl to the next person, only to be met with now quite familiar piercing blue eyes. She smiled softly before she could stop herself and was surprised when he returned it with a quick upwards turn of his lips.

“Thanks, Yer Highness,” he chuckled as she handed him his dinner.

“You’re welcome.”

She lost him in the crowd afterwards; busy making sure everyone at camp was fed. When she finally sat down to eat her own meal most of the people had left the tent, turning in to start their quiet time. Kate ate quickly and then followed the steady flow of people into the common area. She slipped past the crowd and went into the cell block so she could see Charlie, she had been so busy all day she hadn’t had time to stop in, although Beth had told her at dinner that she had woken up twice before falling back asleep and had eaten breakfast.

Kate was glad that it didn’t sound like Charlie was giving anyone a hard time, she knew how hard to handle Charlie could be; especially if she was coped up for long. When she reached the cell she was disappointed to find that Charlie was fast asleep. She left the food she’d brought for her with Hershel, with instructions to let her know if she woke again.

She walked back into the common room, leaning against a wall and scanning the room, a feeling of disappointment rising in her gut when she did not find the rugged man she was looking for. She pulled her all of her hair over her shoulder and began to fiddle with the ends in nervousness. She didn’t know how long she stood there pulling split ends out of her muddy colored hair when a voice made her drop it.

“Whatcha doin’?” A familiar drawl asked. She looked up to see Daryl leaning back on the wall next to her, surveying the room.

She shrugged her shoulders, the movement causing her bare arm to touch his. He glanced over at her.

“You still wanna see the library?”

“More than anything!” She exclaimed, taking off towards one of the exits, her curls bouncing around her shoulders.

“Princess!” He called from where he was still leaning against the wall. She skidded to a halt and turned to look over her shoulder at him. “That way.” She nodded and went over to the exit he pointed at. He followed after her at a slower pace, stopping by Rick to exchange a few words, probably telling him where they were heading. He came towards her, his hand going to the small of her back, guiding her down into the tunnels. He kept his hand on her as he dug around in his pocket until he found what he was looking for.

He clicked on the flashlight and shone the light in their path. They walked silently, Kate’s heart racing in excitement. She did everything she could to keep from running forward. It was probably a good thing that she didn’t know where they were headed or she was sure she would’ve taken off at a sprint. As soon as the flashlight had clicked on Daryl dropped his hand from her back, yet she could still feel the imprint as if it had been burned onto her skin. She was glad for the low light so that he couldn’t see the way her neck and chest had turned red.

They finally came to a door after walking for quite a while, she was thankful that Daryl was with her, unsure that she would be able to find her way back this time, the way to the library much more complicated than the showers. Once they got inside Kate swept her eyes around the shelves. The ones that were pressed against the cement walls reached all the way to the ceilings with a few foot stools scattered around. The other shelves twisted in a waist high labyrinth.

She looked back towards Daryl, smiling brightly. His lips quivered into a smile at her enthusiasm. She reached behind her to grab Daryl’s hand unthinkingly, pulling him to the closest bookshelf. She stepped forward, dropping his hand so that she could run her fingers along the spines of the books. They were all well worn, probably donated to the prison by citizens in the surrounding area. Kate noticed that the flashlight was following her fingers faithfully, its light casting a silver glow on the multicolored spines. For a while they just walked around, Kate’s fingers bumping along, enjoying the feeling of leather bound and paper bound books.

“You gonna pick one out?” Daryl finally asked, though his voice lacked any impatience.

She pulled a random one off the shelf, stopping abruptly which caused Daryl to bump into her shoulder. “Moby Dick.” She announced, weighing the tome in her hands.

Daryl scooped it up from her, holding the blue book gingerly. “You wanna read this one?” He asked skeptically.

“I had a writing teacher who told me that you couldn’t die ‘till you read Moby Dick.”

“In that case…” Daryl snorted.

She plucked it from his hands and placed it gently back onto the shelf. “Good point.” She conceded before continuing forward again. They made their way to the far side of the library. She paid little attention to the books at eye level, instead gazing longingly at the ones just out of her reach on the top shelves. Suddenly, a clang echoed in the small space; making her jump slightly and glance down. A yellow stepping stool had been placed by her feet, she looked at Daryl with a gentle smile, taking his offered hand and climbing up onto the stool. She realized she was still a few inches from the highest shelf.

She huffed, stretching her fingers, just grazing the bottom of the nearest book. Unsure of the sturdiness of her perch but not really caring she lifted herself onto her tip toes, one foot going out behind her for balance. She ran her fingers along the spines, contemplating which one looked good enough to pull off the shelf since she couldn’t see what they were titled. After a moment she felt something grip her thigh. She tensed up and looked down to see Daryl’s hand gently grasping the back of her leg, the weight steadying her.

“Thanks,” she smiled down at him.

“Can’t have you fallin’ and hittin’ your head, Humpty Dumpty.”

“I’m sure the King’s man could find away to put me together.” She snipped before making a decision and snatching a red book off the shelf. Daryl let go of her leg to grab her hand again as she hopped off the stool. They made their way over to a spot under a window, tucked back in the far corner. There was a circular rug with a sturdy looking chair just under the window.

“You go ahead and sit, I’ll keep watch.” Daryl said, turning to leave.

“Keep watch for what? It’s fine. Sit down; I’ll sit on the arm. I don’t want to be here long anyways.”

Daryl searched her face, seemingly unsure. Kate crossed her arms and stared him down. After a moment he sighed, pulling his crossbow off his shoulder and setting it down by the chair, before sitting in it, his legs stretched out in front of him. Kate perched herself on the arm, using the back to keep upright. She could feel Daryl’s hair brushing against the inside of her bicep, her breath rustling the hairs on his head. Daryl shined the flashlight on the cover, which Kate flipped over to reveal the title.

“Dracula.” They said together and then both snorted a laugh.

“Can’t say it ain’t appropriate.”

“Here’s to hopin’ there ain’t no blood suckin’ crazies out there.”

“That’s a double negative Daryl.”

“Wha’?”

“’Ain’t no’ is a double negative. I think what you meant was: there isn’t any blood sucking crazies.”

“Don’t make me add “Smartass” to Princess, Princess.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” She opened the book to a random page, letting the paper graze against her fingers as the pages cascaded back and forth. She sighed and closed her eyes. She hadn’t held a real book in what felt like years. Which, now that she thought about it, probably was true.

“You wanna be alone?” Daryl quipped.

Kate used the hand that was behind his head to lightly swat at his hair. “It’s been a while.”

“You really like…readin’?” He asked, taking the book from her and flipping through the pages.

“Yup. Love it. Ever since I was little.”

“You was a librarian?”

“Yeah. Used to come to a place like this every couple of months. Teach the inmates how to read.”

“You’a saint.”

“Thanks for the sarcasm.” She snapped, taking the book back from him. “What did you do? You know, before all of this.”

“Construction. Helped out with my uncle’s car shop occasionally too.”

“Mmm, construction. I could’ve guessed that.” She nodded to herself.

“Wha’s tha’ ‘pose to mean?”

“Your hands.”

“Wha’ about them?” He asked in confusion.

She placed the book on his thigh and grabbed his hand in its place. She turned it over, guiding the flashlight in his other hand with hers so that the light was shining on it. “The calluses. Even in this kind of world your hands don’t get that calloused just by a few years of work. My dad’s hands are the same.”

“Your daddy a workin’ man?”

She nodded her head, knowing that he could feel the movement from their proximity, suddenly loosing the ability to speak. She swallowed thickly. He turned his head to look at her, shining the flashlight so that he could look at her eyes. She knew that they were probably shining with unshed tears and red-rimmed. She began to turn her head from the light.

“Your eyes?” The way he said it made it sound like a question, his brow furrowing.

“I know,” she sniffled. “Sorry. I’m not gonna cry if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“They’re two different colors.”

“I’ll get myself tog—what?”

“Brown and green.” He flicked the flashlight so that the beam bounced from eye to eye.

“Ouch, Daryl.” She closed her eyes, turning the flashlight away from her face.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. People always get kind of weirded out.”

“Why?”

“Why…” she trailed off in confusion.

“Why are they two different colors?”

“Born that way. It’s a mutation. Basically the genes got all screwed up and my eyes turned out like this. It was just a mistake.”

She opened her eyes to his blue ones staring intently at her. “Cool,” he said nonchalantly as if they had been discussing the weather.

“That’s a first.” She admitted with a smile.

“First what?”

“Time someone has said they were cool.”

“I ain’t never seen that ‘fore. ‘Cept for yer mutt. He’s got ‘em too. Whatta people usually say?”

“Did you know they are two different colors? Which one is the normal one? Which one changed? Why aren’t you in a circus?”

“With those acrobatics on the stool earlier I’d have to say I’d agree with that last one.”

“That was a very traumatizing question for ten year old me,” she admonished sarcastically.  

“Sure.” They both chuckled and then lapsed into companionable silence. Daryl picked the book up off his thigh and handed it to her. “Let’s get back.”

“Okay.” She agreed, though she found herself not wanting to move from where she was. Daryl didn’t make any immediate movements either. After a few moments she finally jumped up off of the chair, Daryl following her as they walked out of the library and down the labyrinth of hallways. When they reached the cell block, everyone had already turned in for the night. Daryl walked her as far as the stairs. She lingered by the railing, fingering the worn book in her hands. “Thank you for taking me. I know you didn’t have to.”

“We all got our ways o’ copin’.” He shrugged. “Yers is a pretty easy fix.”

“You could’ve just said you’re welcome.” She smiled.

He snorted and shook his head. She looked up at him, and he down at her. He wasn’t that much taller than her, her head coming up to his mouth. She only had to tilt her head back a little bit in order to look him in the eye; which she had found herself doing a lot over the past three days. Neither of them moved from their spots, Kate willing her legs to move, to turn away from this practical stranger and just go to her room. Instead, her pounding heart convinced her to stand up on her tip toes and brush a feather light kiss against his cheek.

“Thank you again, goodnight.” She spun quickly away from him, blood rushing through her veins, claiming her skin like wildfire. She got to her cell and wished for some absurd reason that she could slam the door. To shut him out of her space. As it was, all she could do was lay on her bed, book clutched to her chest, and listened to as he made his way up the stairs.

What had she been thinking? She didn’t even know this guy. She never did stuff like this. It takes years for her to even get comfortable enough with someone to hold their hand. Yet, she had felt like reaching up and kissing his cheek. So she’d just done it. Back before the world had ended she probably would have thought about it. Fantasized about doing it…but never actually have done anything about it. Yet, it was the end of the world after all. Subconsciously she realized she probably didn’t have time to dance around feelings anymore. So maybe what she did was alright, it was just a friendly kiss of appreciation. They could just pretend it never happened, right? She rolled over onto her side, noticing for the first time that Jack was already lying on her bed. She put her arm around him and buried her face in his fur.

Did Daryl even say goodnight back?

The last thought she had before drifting off was: _maybe that kiss wasn’t such a good idea._


	7. Parole

**Chapter Seven**

_Parole_

_***_

The next few days passed in a quick blur for Kate as she settled into life at the prison. Her routine varied from day to day; laundry with Maggie or Beth, cooking with Sasha. She’d even been on two patrol shifts, making her way around the prison from sun up to sun down. She enjoyed the quiet time while she was out. It was the only job at the prison that made her feel like she was really doing something important. If she spotted a specifically large build up she went to find someone who could organize a group for damage control. She used the time to practice her own aim, with either her knife or taking out stray walkers that she found pressed against the fence.

                She had been on babysitting duty twice, even though both times it had been short: while Beth had to run to the bathroom or while someone else had to eat. She enjoyed her time with Judith, cooing to her and playing with her. For being born after the end of the world she was the happiest baby that Kate had ever met. She also knew that it was a huge step to be able to take care of the leader’s helpless daughter and she saw to it that she did the absolute best she could.

                She checked on Charlie a few times a day, knowing that she was getting more and more restless as the hours past by. She sat with her on several occasions, reading excerpts from Dracula or talking with her about old times. It was hard to have those conversations, but still they made both of them feel better for just a short amount of time. Kate ate most of her meals in the cell with Charlie, still too intimated by the rest of the group’s close-knit relationships. But Hershel had told Kate that it wouldn’t be long before Charlie could get up and walk around, and Kate couldn’t wait for that day since she had little to no other friends at the prison.

                Daryl had barely spoken to her since the night that he’d taken her to the library. Whenever she entered a room he found an excuse to slip away. Yet, Kate had found herself doing the same thing: eating her meals with Charlie, curling up in the corner of the common area and shoving her face in her book whenever she wasn’t busy. The two had been dancing around each other for days, it had been exhausting. The few times that they had been forced to interact it extended as far as thank you’s and you’re welcomes, hellos and goodbyes.

                Kate was thinking about all of this, staring up at the bottom of her bunk. She knew she should probably get up and start getting ready for the day. She had patrol duties to attend too, and light was already beginning to spill into the prison, signaling that whoever was on night duty was about to get off. Kate sighed and rolled out of bed, Jack jumping down to the floor next to her. She took off her shirt so she could snap on her bra. Then she dug around in her bag, pulling out a sky blue button up. Slipping it over her arms she began buttoning it from the bottom, making sure that everything was aligned properly.

                A noise outside her cell made her turn around.

                “Kate—“ a familiar voice started.

                “Daryl!” Kate yelped, undignified, pulling her shirt across her chest and reaching for her shoe, which was the closest thing, throwing it at him. It missed him by a few inches and instead clattered out into middle of C block.

                “Sorry!” He snapped his eyes shut, what Kate could only call a blush starting to creep onto his cheeks, and backed out of the cell, closing the curtain behind him. Kate put a hand to her chest to try and calm her fluttering heart. She ran a shaking hand through her hair before a laugh burst out of her. She quickly clamped a hand over her mouth as nervous giggles continued to escape. She finally managed to breathe through her nose and get herself under control. Doing up the buttons up, leaving two open at the top, she pulled on her one shoe, sighing and looking towards the door of her cell.

                She stepped out from behind the curtain, rolling the sleeves up to elbow length as she did, attempting not to look at Daryl, whose boots she could see just to her left, where he was leaning against the wall next to her room. A black Converse appeared in her line of vision. She snatched the shoe from him before turning to smack him on the arm with it. “Didn’t anyone teach you to knock?”

                “Ouch! Geez, I didn’t know that Cinderella was abusive.” He ducked out of her way as she growled angrily at him, brandishing the shoe in threat.

                “Stop it with the nicknames.” She demanded as she propped herself next to him so that she could wiggle her shoe on. “What did you want?” She asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him.

                “Hershel told me to come get ya’. Charlie’s been dispatched.”

                Kate broke out into a wide grin and turned to run down the line of cells without looking back at Daryl. She skidded to a stop outside the one that her best friend had been confined in for over a week. When Charlie looked up at the sound and saw Kate beaming in the doorway she smiled back, kicking her legs over the side of the bed.

                “Just take it easy for today,” Hershel instructed as Charlie stood up, getting oriented after days of bed-rest.

                Kate stepped forward to grab Charlie’s arm but Charlie shooed her away. “I got it.”

                “Hershel, I’ve got patrol today, think she can come with me?”

                The old man looked between the two young women in front of him before smiling and putting a hand on both of their shoulders. “Just go slow, drink plenty of water, and no killing Walkers.”

                “Not even one?” Charlie practically whined.

                “Not today.”

                Charlie nodded begrudgingly.

                “Let’s go get breakfast and then we’ll be on our way.” Kate grabbed Charlie’s hand, which she allowed, and the two women walked towards the outdoors, their dogs following faithfully behind. They walked with leisure down the hallway, Charlie testing out her ankle cautiously. After a few steps Charlie straightened up and smiled.

                “It’s good as new! Doesn’t hurt at all.”

                “We’ve still got to make sure, just go slow for today. Alright? Patrol isn’t too hard. Pretty boring actually.”

                “Fine, Mom.” Charlie rolled her eyes but she was smiling. They stepped outside and Charlie inhaled deeply. “Thank god, I never thought I would get out of that damn cell.” The sun was shining but there was a distinct nip in the air. People had been talking the last few days about how the fall was surely approaching but today was the first day that stepping outside didn’t feel like walking into a sauna.

                “The weather is so nice, just for you.” Kate joked as they made their way to the mess tent. They got in line to get their food, which Sasha was passing out.

                “Morning Kate! And you must be Charlie.” Sasha greeted warmly, handing them each a bowl. Charlie nodded in thanks but said nothing to the woman. Kate sighed and hooked her arm through Charlie’s before scanning the tables. She found Rick and Carl sitting alone and made her way over to them. The young boy still hadn’t really warmed up to her but his father was one of the only people who talked to Kate on a regular basis.

                “Charlie! Glad to see you up and around.”

                “Glad to be up and around,” Charlie griped as she sat down heavily across from Carl. Kate slid in next to her.

                “This is my son, Carl,” Rick introduced, squeezing Carl’s shoulder which he shrugged off.

                “’Sup?” Charlie nodded at the boy.

                “You’re the one that fell on Daryl’s bike.”

                Charlie glanced up sharply at the young boy, whose hard eyes were staring at her in accusation. Before she could answer another voice came out of the crowd. “That’s the one, scraped the muffler and all.”

                Daryl sank down into the seat next to Kate, who glanced at him in confusion. She thought after this morning’s mishap that he would be as far away from her as possible. Her cheeks started to burn just at the thought of it. Suddenly, she was jabbed in the side by Charlie’s elbow.

                “What the--?” She looked up at Charlie in question.

                “I uh, I was just askin’ you how you slept.” Rick clarified, clearing his throat, an amused glint in his eye.

                Kate looked down at her breakfast before murmuring out. “Fine.”

                The rest of the meal passed in silence, everyone lost in his or her own thoughts. Once everyone had finished Rick rested a hand on Carl’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go down and open up the gates for the ladies.” He suggested in a tone which did not make it sound optional.

                “Dad—“ the young boy bemoaned.

                “I’ll do it,” Daryl interrupted.

                All eyes at the table flicked to him, before Rick looked back at his son and rolled his eyes. “Alright, Carl and I’ll meet up with you later then.”

                Daryl nodded and they all parted ways. Daryl walked a few steps ahead of Charlie and Kate down to the fence, the dogs trotting after the three of them. Once they reached the gates Daryl unlocked them and stepped back. Charlie strode in first, as if she had been on patrol for years. Kate went in next, smiling in thanks to Daryl. He gripped her arm before she made it passed him. “Be careful,” Daryl said, flicking his eyes up the path. “Been lotsa build-ups the past few days. Colder nights makin’ ‘em antsy.”

                Kate swallowed loudly, nodding her head, not being able to speak. This was the first time they had been this close since Kate had let her heart rule over her head. Daryl let her arm go, his fingers ghosting down the side of her bicep before he stepped back and closed the gate on them. His eyes flicked over her face once more before he turned and headed back up the hill.

                “What was that about?”

                Kate turned to find Charlie already holding a pipe, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised suspiciously. Kate picked up her own pipe, avoiding Charlie’s graze. “What was what?”

                “You know,” Charlie grabbed Kate’s arm as she walked up to her. “Be safe,” she mocked in a deep voice. “Can’t have your pretty little head fed to the walkers. I’d cry over your grave for days.”

                “He was just letting me know about the build-ups.” Kate snapped, jerking her arm out of her friend’s grasp.

                “Whatever you say,” Charlie shrugged, falling in step next to Kate—their dogs on either side of them. The two friends made idle chit-chat as they circled around the prison. The sun was just reaching the middle of the sky when they finally drew close to the gates again. Usually it wouldn’t have taken Kate this long by herself, but Charlie had needed several breaks despite her insistence that she was alright. As they neared the main entrance Kate heard the familiar sound of a motorcycle.

                When they reached the gate it was at the same time that Carl and Daryl were coming through. Kate jogged the last few paces, opening the door that led to the large holding area. “Where are you going?” She asked as Daryl shut off the motorcycle, putting his foot down to balance himself. He had his crossbow slung over his back, wearing a tan and red poncho. It was the first time she had ever seen him in anything other than his cut-off button ups and leather vest. Though his muscular arms were mostly covered she still had to admit that he made quite an image.

                “Huntin’.”

                “By yourself?” She asked skeptically.

                “Whatta think I was doin’ when I found ya’ and Charlie?”

                “You can’t go out there alone! You said it yourself there’s been restless walkers just jumping at the opportunity for flesh.”

                “Don’t worry ‘bout me, Princess.” Daryl smirked at her, turning the engine and starting the bike as Carl opened up the fence. He rolled off and out of the confines of the prison without another word. Kate put her hands on her hips and shook her head, staring after him until he disappeared behind the overgrown bushes. Carl locked the fence back up and moved past her without a word. Charlie came up next to her and brushed some of her hair from her shoulder thoughtfully.

                “He’ll be alright,” Charlie assured her.

                “I know that.” Kate snapped.

                They finished their patrol duty as the sun set behind the prison. Carl came down to let them back in and the three walked back up to the hill towards the mess tent. Charlie and her picked their own table in the corner and sat to eat. The meal past uneventfully and quietly since everyone decided to leave the two friends alone their first day back together.

                “What now?” Charlie asked.

                “Now, you’re going to take a shower.” Kate announced.

                “They have showers?”

                “Did you think I just magically look this clean?” Kate asked with a laugh. “Go grab some clothes; Maggie mentioned she moved your stuff into the cell next to mine.”

                “I have my own cell? I knew it would happen one day.” Charlie sighed sarcastically but obediently headed to her room. Kate got her own stuff and then met Charlie in the common area, where she grabbed two towels from a shelf near the exit that lead to the showers. Charlie reached in to the bucket on the floor, pulling out a flashlight and clicking it on. They made their way down to the showers, where they quickly undressed and began to scrub themselves clean in adjacent stalls.

                “Wow, this is like heaven.” Charlie sighed as she lathered soap into her hair.

                “Right?” Kate laughed as she ran her fingers through her own hair, pulling the tangles out with the help of the conditioner. When the water shut off they both towel dried quickly and slipped back into their clothes, Charlie’s having been cleaned by Kate herself a few days before. Charlie looked so much healthier after fresh clothes and the shower, the last remaining bits of blood that had been caked into her hair washed away in the water.

                “I feel so much better, let’s go.”

When they reached the common room it had filled considerably, most people hanging out in small groups as they did every night. Kate crossed the room to what had now become her usual perch, sitting down on the metal stairs. As she climbed she noticed Jack and Taft appeared at the bottom, laying down next to each other so as to provide a blockade for them. Kate sat about halfway up the stairs, leaning against the railing and letting one of her legs hang down over the edge. Charlie sat facing her and stretching her shorter legs out in front of her with a sigh.

                “Now? We read.” Kate smiled, pulling the book, which she had retrieved from her room when she got her clothes, out of her back pocket.

                “Oh, c’mon Kate. Not more Dracula. I swear, I’ll turn into a vampire and suck you dry myself if I have to listen to a single word more of that book. Can’t I get my own? Where is the library?” Charlie looked around at the various exits, attempting to determine where the best place to start would be.

                “Sorry Charlie, I would take you but I’ve only been there once and it’s complicated.”

                “You knew the way to the showers.” Charlie pointed out.

                “Yeah, and the way to the showers is a straight shot compared to the library.”

                “Well, get whoever took you last time to take us.” Charlie shot back.

                Kate turned to scan the room, looking for said person but not finding him. Instead she called out to Rick, who ambled over with a small smile. “How was your first day back in action?” He questioned, looking up at the two women perched above him.

                Charlie shrugged her shoulders, “Hershel’s a miracle worker, my ankle wasn’t even sore.”

                “Glad to hear it.” His blue eyes turned to Kate. “You need somethin’?”

                “Where’s Daryl?”

                “Hunting.”

                “He’s still gone?” Kate inquired, sitting up straighter.

                “Nothin’ to worry ‘bout. Said that with winter comin’ game was scarce and he was going to have to go farther.”

                “And you let him go alone?” Kate asked incredulously.

                “Now listen Kate,” Rick said, putting his hands on his hips and widening his stance. “Daryl knows what he’s doing. He’ll be back tomorrow. Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

                Kate searched his face, looking to see anything other than the conviction that was there. She deflated after a moment, leaning back against the railing. “Okay, sorry.”

                “Is that all you wanted to know?”

                She began to nod before changing her mind. “Actually, no. There is something else.”

                He raised his eyebrows in allowance for her to continue.

                “I want to throw Glenn and Maggie a proper wedding.”

                “Now, Kate, I don’t think that’s such a good—“

                “C’mon Rick, why not? Everything is so tedious here. We need something to break up the repetition of it. Lift everyone’s spirits. What’s it going to hurt? I’ve already looked it up in the phone book. There’s a bridal shop that’s only about twenty miles away.”

                “We can’t waste the gas.”

                “There’s a Wal-mart in the same shopping center. I’ve already talked to Glenn: he said that y’all hadn’t hit it yet but had passed it by and it hadn’t looked too infested. It could be chalk full of stuff! Besides, winter is coming up and people are going to need better clothes.”

                “A wedding?” Rick turned the word over in his mouth, rubbing his scruffily jaw with one hand.

                Kate nodded enthusiastically.

                Rick sighed through his sharp nose and looked up at the woman, whose bright eyes and smile were all but contagious. He shook his head but shrugged his shoulders at the same time. “Let me talk to the others first, but you make a good case.”

                “Excellent!” She exclaimed, clasping her hands together. He moved away from her, hopefully to go talk to the people that he felt he needed to speak with. Kate picked up her book and began to read, the smile slowly slipping off of her face as she did so. She ran her fingers through her damp hair repeatedly, twirling the ends around in agitation. She could not stop fidgeting in her seat and kept glancing up to look over the crowd below her, especially every time a door was opened or closed.

After about fifteen minutes of watching her friend nervously move around, attempting to find a comfortable spot, Charlie spun around and slid across the stair she was sitting on, resting her head on Kate’s thigh. Kate put down her book so that she could card her fingers through Charlie’s hair.

                “He’ll come back.” Charlie reassured her.

                “Can’t help but worry.”

                “I know,” Charlie said, twisting her head so that she could look up at her long time friend. “Always got to keep tabs.”

                “It was so much easier when people could just send a text.” She sighed, leaning her head against the railing and looking down at the people below.

                “Yeah, what I wouldn’t give to just be able to pick up the phone.” Both of them sighed at the thought.

                “Well, with that depressing thought, I think I’m going to go to bed. Do you want my book?” Kate asked.

                Charlie lifted her head from Kate’s leg. “Nah, I think I’m going to turn in as well.”

                The two women walked to their cells, hand in hand; comfortably swinging their intertwined fingers between them. They stopped outside Charlie’s door. “I’ll be right next to you if you need anything.”

                “Thanks.” Charlie said a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

                “Good night,” Kate wished her, kissing her cheek and dropping their hands.

                “’Night,” Charlie responded before ducking under the blue curtain hanging from the bars, calling Taft with her.

Kate sighed and went to her own room, undressing and sliding under the covers, Jack jumping up and settling in for the night next to her. She closed her eyes, expecting to drift off into sleep relatively quickly. Yet, for some reason the voices from the common room did not put her to sleep as they had every night previously and she tossed and turned. Her bed felt uncomfortable, lumpy and thin. She sighed before flipping over onto her side, listening as her fellow survivors wished each other good night. She stayed up until everyone had turned in for the night, trying everything she knew to go to sleep. Finally, she resorted to counting sheep and drifted off somewhere around 540. 


	8. Ghosts That We Knew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings! So, I'm sure many of you are in search of more Walking Dead after tonight's episode (emotionally draining as it was!). Therefore, I decided to upload this chapter for everyone. I'm quite proud of it, it took me a while to tweak it just the way I wanted but I think I managed. Warning: this chapter is the first one that really owns up to the M rating, for language. From now on the chapters will be getting a bit darker language-wise, sexually, and gore-wise. Just a heads up! Sorry I packed a lot into this chapter. It just felt like the right course of action to move the plot forward.
> 
> Glory, glory hallelujah! We get a bit more of our heroine's past in this chapter, fun times. More will be revealed shortly, but I thought this would be a good time to start exploring. I had to include a little bit of exposition on the part of the prison group, but it couldn't be helped so bare with me. I try to keep exposition to a minimum in fics 'cause who are we kidding? Y'all know that I know that you know what happened before Daryl stumbled upon the girls.
> 
> I also wanted to make the time line here clear, since it's tweaked a bit from the show. Basically Daryl found Kate and Charlie shortly after his run for the medicine. (Therefore, he already knows Carol is gone, and this will all be addressed, I promise.) Obviously this means I'm pushing the Governor's attack back a few months to give Kate and Charlie some time to settle in before everything goes to hell in a handbasket. Also, it'll be winter instead of summer but whatever, it adds to the drama, just roll with me here.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter Eight**

_Ghosts That We Knew_

_***_

The next morning at breakfast Kate was informed by Rick that she was on tag team child minding for the day with Beth. Charlie had patrol with Mishonne, which admittedly made Kate nervous, but she figured that Rick knew what he was doing putting the two closed-off women together. She knew that Charlie would appreciate the freedom of patrol and Kate, herself, was looking forward to spending the day with the kids. After quickly eating she made her way over to where Beth was for introductions. She’d already met most of the kids at various times in the last few weeks, but there was about ten of them and she could use the refresher.

                Most of the children were between six and thirteen, a good age group. Kate was not worried about being able to keep them in line, all of them well behaved (a necessity in this world.) It also didn’t hurt that Jack was a huge hit with the kids, playing with them and allowing them to depart all their secrets to him without worry. Beth and Kate took the children to the library, where they spent the morning supervising coloring activities with a few pens and pieces of paper that had been collected from the Admin buildings. The older kids spent the morning reading in various nooks around the library.

                Kate noticed that Lizzie was sitting in the windowsill without a book, staring out into the distance. She made her way over and hopped up into the sill beside the young girl. “Hey Lizzie, don’t you want to read? I know it’s not the best selection, but there are still some good ones.”

                “No, I don’t want to _read_ ,” the young girl snapped, spitting the word out like poison. “I want to learn how to fight, how to shoot. I want to do something that actually contributes!”

                Kate sighed and glanced over to Beth, who was holding Judith in her lap and watching the interaction closely. Several of the children had looked up at the disturbance. “Lizzie, I understand you want to help, and that’s great. But you have to be a good example for the other children. You know the rule: no one under the age of thirteen can carry a weapon.”

                “Carol let us.” Lizzie whispered before hopping off the windowsill and going over to her sister, plopping down in the chair next to her and watching her draw intently. Kate looked over to Beth who just shrugged her shoulders before easing a pen that Judith had got a grip on out of the baby’s tiny fist.

                “What do you say we take a break and go outside for some free time?” Kate suggested to the group, met with cheers from most of the children. “Alright, Miss Beth will take the kids that live in C block to get their coats, and I’ll take the D block children.”

                The weather was chillier today, but with her light gray cardigan over her red tank top and shorts Kate was perfectly warm. She and Beth sat in the grass, Beth holding a sleeping Judith in her lap as they watched the children, keeping an eye on them as they created their own games to entertain themselves. Beth was a nice companion, she knew just what to say and when, though for the moment the two young women relaxed in the fall sunshine, soaking up the weather just as much as the children were.

                Kate put her hands behind her and let her head roll back, enjoying the feeling of her hair tickling the backs of her arms, her legs crossed. Suddenly, something landed in her lap making her jump and snap her head up. Looking down she saw a bushel of brightly colored wildflowers lying across her legs. She glanced up in confusion to see Daryl standing in front of her, chewing on his thumbnail.

                “I hear ya’ been askin’ ‘bout me,” he informed her.

                “You’re back!” Kate beamed.

                “Told ya’ you ain’t had nothin’ to worry about,” he reminded her around his thumb.

                “Double negatives Daryl, we talked about this.” She scolded but continued smiling; a weight lifting off of her that she hadn’t realized was hanging around her neck since he’d left.

He snorted in response.

”How was hunting?”

                “Got a doe, she wasn’t much, but she’ll do.” He shrugged.

                “That’s great, Daryl,” she affirmed, gathering the flowers up in her arms and standing. Before she could think about it and stop herself, she stepped forwards to wrap her free arm around his waist and squeeze his midsection gently in a fleeting hug. “I’m glad you’re safe.” She whispered into his poncho, which was scratchy on her face, before pulling back.

                He didn’t have time to respond since several overlapping cries of “Mr. Daryl!” interrupted them as the children came sprinting over; throwing questions at the man so quickly he could hardly answer a single one of them. Two of the younger children had latched themselves onto one of his arms and he was being pulled sideways with their enthusiasm. She knew that he could easily flex his arm and lift both of the children off the ground, but instead he allowed them to tug him downwards. His willingness to let them climb all over him like he was their personal playground made Kate laugh. Daryl shot her a pleading look but Kate just covered her mouth with her hand, trying to conceal her smile.

                “Alright, kids, leave Mr. Daryl alone. I’m sure he has very important things to do.”

                The children turned to her with various forms of pouts. “Where did you get the pretty flowers, Miss Kate?” Mica asked, pointing to the bouquet in her arms that Kate had practically forgot about.

                “Oh, um…”

                “I brought them so _Miss_ Kate,” Daryl drawled, glancing at her over all the kids’ heads, “could keep her promise.”

                Kate smiled, fingering the pretty cluster of orange flowers that were on the top. “That’s right. I know it’s not really for you boys, but if you girls want to learn to make some flower crowns I’ve got an afternoon activity for you.” The girls cheered happily while the three boys groaned and stalked off to continue their game of Walkers versus Survivors, a perverse spin off of Cowboys and Indians, though so far no one had seen fit to discourage it. “Alright, everyone sit down in a circle and pick out three stems of flowers each and I’ll be over in a moment.”

                She handed the bundle of flowers to Mica, who promptly moved off with the rest of the girls to begin sorting through the flowers, as instructed. She straightened back up and smiled at Daryl. “Thank you, I’m sure the girls are going to love it.”

                “Figured I might as well, since it’s gonna start gettin’ cold soon.” Daryl explained, looking up at her from under his messy fringe. They shared a smile, their eyes connecting for a long few moments.

                “Come on,” Mica piped up. “Miss Kate,” she drew out the words in a way only children could.

                Kate cleared her throat and the two adults broke eye contact. “I better go—“

                “I’m gonna hit the showers—“ They both started speaking at the same time before chuckling and Kate put her hand on his arm.

                “Thanks.”

                “No problem,” the quiet hunter said, moving passed her towards the prison.

                “Alright! Who wants to learn to make a flower crown?” Kate clasped her hands together walking over to the children.

                They spent the rest of the afternoon weaving the blue, orange, purple, and white flowers together. By the time they were finished it was almost dinner time and they had a plethora of extra flower crowns. She had her own on her head, decorated with long rows of indigo, clusters of little orange butterflyweed sporadically placed throughout, and a large black-eyed Susan as the centerpiece of the work behind her left ear.

                The little girls’ were less intricate but the different colors and just the very idea of something pretty for all of them made the children wild with excitement. They had even made a tiny one for little Judith, who kept attempting to pull it off her head and eat it, Beth having to tirelessly keep her from doing so. Kate showed the girls they could even make bracelets with just one or two flowers. She couldn’t resist making herself an anklet of the orange butterflyweed.

                When she finished her anklet she looked up to see Mishonne and Charlie headed up the path towards the mess tent, done with their patrolling for the day. “Hey girls, do you think we have any extra flower crowns?” Several eyes followed where Kate was pointing to the two approaching women. Suddenly all the girls took off in a shot, gripping extra flower crowns in their hands. They bombarded the women, much as they had Daryl earlier.

                Kate watched from a distance as Charlie accepted an all white crown from a young girl named Dakota. Kate was astonished to see Mishonne smiling, dazzled by the way it opened up the woman’s features as she asked each of the girls in turn about what made their own crowns special before selecting one made completely of black-eyed Susans, laying it on her head. It looked beautiful on her and Kate told her so as the women walked passed on their way after they untangled themselves from the girls. Mishonne surprised her by giving her a warm thank you and continuing on her way as if they exchanged pleasantries every day, when on the contrary Kate could say on good faith that was the first civil exchange they had shared.

                The group of girls then looked at Kate again, grasping their remaining flower crowns in eager hands. Kate looked around, biting her lip, trying to find the next victims. Finally she smiled as she turned towards the barn that Rick was just coming around the far side of. She nodded her head in the direction of the solemn leader and the group was off like a shot calling out Rick’s name as they made their way towards him, Kate following behind at a slower pace. When she reached the fence that Rick had completed a few days previously she leaned against it, petting Percy’s nose as he attempted to snack on her crown.

                Rick looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she shrugged, giving him a wink and a grin. He picked out a blue and white one that was offered to him shyly by Lizzie, placing it on his head and asking the group how he looked. “Very pretty, Mr. Grimes.” They all chorused, as if it had been planned. Carl came walking around the barn on the other side nearer to Kate, with Daryl following behind.

                “Hey, Carl! Want a flower crown? They’re the latest in post-apocalyptic fashion—after ponchos, of course.” Kate smiled as they reached her, Daryl leaning against the fence next to her.

                “I don’t want one of your stupid flower crowns.” Carl snapped, walking passed her without looking and heading up to the prison. Kate sighed as he took off, his father following not far behind him.

                “Mr. Daryl! Will you wear my crown?” The oldest girl of the group, who was probably a year or two younger than Carl, asked boldly. She held out a crown made fully of sky blue aster.

“’Course I will,” Daryl took it from her hands gingerly but without hesitation and placed it on his head. The little girl giggled before turning and running off to catch up with the other girls who had made their way back to Beth and were following her like a herd of sheep to the mess tent.

                “Looks good on you,” Kate teased. “Matches your eyes.” She batted her eyelashes at him, sighing mock-dreamily.

                “Yours too—uh—looks good on ya’. Pretty.” Daryl said avoiding her eyes by staring intently at the spot on Percy’s cheek that he was scratching.

                “Right,” Kate snorted skeptically and looked down, pieces of her hair falling into her face. She felt her hair moving and looked up to see Daryl gazing at her, his hand tucking her hair behind her ear, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone.

                “I mean it, ya’ look pretty.”

                Kate could feel the blush rising to her face. She stepped back from him, grabbing on to his wrist and pulling his hand away from her face before walking away, her long legs carrying her quickly from him—even though every part of her body was screaming at her not to turn from this. She shook her head, running a hand agitatedly through her hair. Part of her was waiting to hear his boots behind her, disappointed when she didn’t.

                _It’s for the best._ She thought to herself as she made her way up to the prison. She couldn’t get too attached to these people. Be kind to them, friendly; but not emotionally invested. She already had Charlie, and in this world relationships were precarious at best. There was no guarantee how long you would have with someone. _Which is why you should go for it._ Her heart whispered, but her mind raged against the notion. The idea of more loss made her lean against a post underneath the catwalk, her knees buckling. She sank down onto the ground, pulling her legs up to her and biting on the inside of her cheek to attempt to get control.

                She sat there for a long time, trying to take all these people she had spent the last three weeks getting to know and shoving them into a box which she could lock away in the deep corners of her heart. She ran through the names: Rick, Carl, Beth, Judith, Hershel, Glenn, Maggie, on and on. The last name she came to was Daryl. She attempted to fit him into the box but the sides splintered and it broke, allowing her affection for all of them to spill out. She doubled over as if in pain, gasping for breath before she succumbed to tears. There was nothing to do, these people had already made their way into her heart, and she wasn’t going to be able to shove them away even if she wanted. From here on out her fate was sealed with theirs, twisted in the cruel way that this world forced upon them all.

                She didn’t know how long she sat there before she heard the sound of someone approaching. She quickly used the sleeves of her grey sweater to dry her eyes before standing up, still on some what shaky legs and tried to pull herself together. She wrapped her cardigan around herself as if trying to fight off a chill and tucked her arms around her. Daryl came around the corner, pausing as he noticed her standing there. She must’ve looked a mess; her hair was probably crazy with her having raked her fingers through it several times in her distress. Her eyes were most likely red rimmed from crying and her body hunched over as she coward under the catwalk.

He moved again, stopping in front of her and holding out her flower crown which must’ve fallen off when she’d made her escape from him earlier. She recognized the gesture for what it was: an apology. She gently took it from him, placing it back on her head and stepping towards him. She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand, smiling gently at him. He grabbed her wrist, his touch feather-light, as if he was afraid of breaking her. Which he probably could: in more ways than one.

                She blinked at him, startled by the gesture. He let her hand go, only to reach up and finger the black-eyed Susan by her ear. “In this world ya’ got ta’ appreciate the beautiful things ya’ have.” He moved her hair off of her shoulder, cupping his hand around the back of her neck, stepping close to her so that their bodies were practically touching. They stayed like that for a moment, Kate realizing that this was that point of no return. He was holding onto her loosely, she knew that if she stepped away like she had before his hand would fall away and they would go back to dancing around each other. She had come to care about this strange man she barely knew, so much so that just the thought of him alone out in the world had kept her up all night; and now, with his hand on her bare skin and his warm breath on top of her head she felt safer and happier than she had in two years.

Abruptly she stepped back, shaking her head and putting her hands on his chest to push herself away. His own hand fell from her and he dropped his gaze to the ground. Before he had time to say anything Kate ran off, leaving Daryl staring after her. Kate passed the mess, planning on going straight to her cell. She slowed her steps when she heard a voice coming from the cell block. Peeking around the corner she saw Beth cooing to Judith. Beth looked up as Kate entered the cell block and gave her a small smile which Kate returned feebly.

“I’ve come to relieve you,” Kate spoke before she could stop herself.

Beth’s wide blue eyes searched Kate’s face, probably taking in the messy hair and the glassy eyes. Kate knew that Beth was observant; she also knew she wouldn’t pry. After a moment Beth nodded and handed the growing child over to Kate, who happily took Judith in her arms, settling the almost six-month old onto her hip. Beth put a hand on Kate’s shoulder before slipping passed her and disappearing.

Kate bounced Judith in her arms. “Hey Judy-baby, what’s shakin’?” Judith’s blue eyes blinked at her, but she did nothing else but grab onto to a strand of Kate’s hair. Kate walked around the cell block a few times, the feeling of holding the small child a calming sensation. Finally, she walked into the nursery, changing Judith and then sinking down onto the floor with her. She sat with the little girl facing her, her legs crossed and Judith’s chubby baby legs splayed out in front of her. Kate handed her a few toys and then leaned back against the wall, content to just watch the baby.

After a while Judith’s eyelids began to drift closed and Kate scooped her up again, sitting on the bottom bunk. Judith wrapped her arms around Kate’s neck, tucking her face under Kate’s chin and promptly falling asleep. Kate didn’t know how long she stayed there, staring at the blank gray wall in front of her, her legs crossed under her. Judith’s short breaths puffed across her chest rhythmically. Kate could hear people moving around downstairs in the common area, dinner must have officially finished. She figured she should go hang out with everyone and give Judith over to her father, who normally looked after her in the evenings. Yet, she didn’t move.

It was a while longer before Kate heard movement on the stairs. She sighed, knowing that she wasn’t going to be able to hide away in the nursery for long before Rick asked where his baby was and came looking for the two of them. Kate hung her head, pressing her lips into Judith’s soft down of blondish-brown hair. She didn’t look up when she heard the curtain being pushed aside and someone walking into the room.

“Oh.”

Kate looked up in surprise at the exclamation; coming face to face with an equally confused looking Daryl. “What’re you doing here?”

“What’re you doin’?” Daryl snapped back in a whisper. Kate noted with interest that he had picked up on Judith’s sleeping state.

“I was looking after Judith while Beth got something to eat. What are you doing here?”  

“Came to see Judith, Beth told me she was sleepin’.”

They stared at each other for a moment, both of them coming to the realization that they had been set up by the innocent young blonde.

“You weren’t at dinner.” He finally spoke, the words like an accusation.

“Wasn’t hungry,” she lied, feeling Judith start to stir.

Daryl snorted, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall by the makeshift changing table. They stared at each other in hostility, Kate trying to think of what to say to make him leave. As they were locked in their staring match Judith woke up fully, leaning back from Kate’s shoulders and beginning to gurgle which soon turned into little hiccupping sobs.

“Oh, great. You woke up Judith.”

“I didn’ wake ‘er up,” Daryl growled softly. “It was probably your stomach growlin’, I could hear it all the way downstairs.”

“Whatever,” Kate snapped, shifting Judith so that she could bounce her on her knee, trying to get her to stop before she went into a full on wailing fit. She just started to get rowdier, pulling on the fistful of Kate’s long hair that she still had in her grip. “Ouch, Judy-baby, you’ve got to let go of Aunt Katie’s hair please.” Kate coaxed Judith gently, trying to pry the little fingers away from her hair. Daryl stepped over, grabbing Kate’s wrist. She shot him a warning look, her eyes flashing and her lips pressing into a hard line but he just gripped more firmly, pulling her hand away.

He gently maneuvered Judith’s hand from Kate’s hair, who as soon as it was released, flipped all of it behind her shoulder so that Judith couldn’t find any more to latch onto. This just made the little girl angrier and she began to cry in earnest. “Shhh,” Kate tried rubbing the little girl’s back, not knowing what was wrong. She had changed her and fed her a bottle earlier. Tears began to well up in her eyes; from exhaustion and hunger and anger at her own adeptness to handle the baby. All which just served to make her even more frustrated. She knew that if she messed this up Daryl would probably tell Rick how poorly she took care of his little girl and then she would be back in the stranger book to everyone. She even tried to give Judith her hair back, brushing a strand against the baby’s clenched fists.

“Lemme see ‘er.” Daryl said gruffly holding out his hands towards the baby. Kate narrowed her eyes at him but nodded her head. Daryl scooped up Judith, placing her on his hip and walking a few steps away from the cot. “C’mon, stop your cryin’, it ain’t no good to cry; you gotcha Uncle Daryl right here. Lil’ Asskickers don’t cry ‘bout nothin’. So watcha cryin’ about? There ain’t nothin’ ta’ be cryin’ ‘bout girl. Look, you’re makin’ your Auntie Kate upset.” Daryl turned around so that he and Judith could look at Kate, who was angrily wiping the single tear that had slipped down her cheek. The little girl’s wails turned into gurgles and then silence, her blue eyes locking onto Kate’s multi-colored ones. Daryl smiled softly. “There ya’ go, see? Nothin’ to be upset about,” his eyes connected with Kate’s over top of the baby’s head and she couldn’t help but think he wasn’t really talking to the baby. Judith smacked Daryl’s face, which he flinched at slightly but continued smiling, biting her little hand gently making “nom-nom” noises which drew a laugh out of the chubby little girl and a smile from Kate.

“You’re good with her,” Kate admitted in defeat.

“Ya’ sound surprised.”

Kate shrugged in response. “What was that you called her?”

“Lil’ Asskicker, that’s her name, ya’ know. The first one she really had.”

“What do you mean?”

“Took a while fo’ Carl and Rick ta’ get ‘round to namin’ her. So I started callin’ her Lil’ Asskicker, and it kinda stuck.”

“For you maybe,” Kate raised an eyebrow. Daryl quirked his lips at her and walked over to sit down on the cot next to her. “Why…why’d it take so long to name her?”

Daryl sighed heavily through his nose and Kate reached out to place a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry. You don’t have to answer.”

Daryl stared down at the baby in his arms without looking at her, running a hand delicately over the back of Judith’s head, who smiled indulgently at her adoptive uncle, patting his scruffy cheek. “Lori,” Daryl began, looking over at Kate. “Tha’ was Rick’s wife,” he supplied at Kate’s questioning look. “She died…givin’ birth. Carl an’ Maggie were the only ones there. Carl…he…he put ‘er down after. Took both the Grimes’ a while ta’…come ta’ terms I guess ya’ could say.”

Kate placed her hand on the back of Judith’s head, her eyes beginning to sting with tears again; she rubbed her thumb back and forth with a sigh. This poor child would never know her mother. Yet, as Kate snuck a look at Daryl, she could tell that Judith would have the best extended family anyone could probably ever ask for. She knew that she, herself, would take down a thousand walkers to keep the little girl safe.

The silence was split suddenly by Rick’s bellow of “CHARLIE.” Kate and Daryl where both up in a shot, glancing at each other before running out the door and peering over the railing, where they saw Rick following Charlie towards her room, Hershel and Glenn hot on his heels. Kate took off, running down the stairs, with Daryl following behind her.

“What’s going on?” Kate demanded, intercepting the group.

“Kate, we’re leaving.” Charlie informed her, attempting to step passed her and get to her cell. Kate put a hand on her arm to still her movements.

“What?” Kate repeated in confusion, her eyes flicking to Rick, who had his hands out in front of him in a pacifying gesture.

“They’ve apparently got some crazy person after them. It’s not safe here. We. Are. Leaving.”

“You can’t just leave!” Glenn spoke up, standing next to Rick with his arms crossed.

“Let me explain—“ Rick began.

“I’m not sitting around here and waiting for a dude with a vendetta to slaughter us all! Fuck that. I’d rather take my chances out there!” Charlie spat on the floor at Rick’s feet, struggling to try and get out of Kate’s grip. “Let go of me!” She screamed at Kate, swinging at her with the hand not held by Kate. Kate stumbled away in shock, her eye throbbing from the punch. She was caught from falling by Daryl who shot out a hand to steady her. Kate leaned into his shoulder, staring wide-eyed at her friend who was looking at her own hand in shock, as if it had acted of its own accord.

Daryl passed Judith off to Hershel so that he could grab Kate’s jaw, assessing her face quickly before turning to Charlie. “You’re fuckin’ crazy.”

Kate put a hand on Daryl’s chest, where she could practically feel him growling in anger.

“Hey now,” Rick spoke up, his voice even and calm as always. “Why don’t we all just take a deep breath and discuss this like adults.”

Charlie’s hazel eyes cut to Rick, who was still holding his hands out in front of him, though he took a step closer to Charlie. She backed up against the wall, her lip curled up in a sneer, looking like a cornered animal. Taft was cowering behind her legs, confused by all the yelling.

Kate watched Charlie, before she broke away from Daryl, who was reluctant to let go of her. “It’s okay,” Kate said gently to him and he released her arm with a sharp nod. She approached Charlie slowly.

“Let Rick explain himself, okay? If we aren’t satisfied with his answer then we’ll go first thing in the morning.”

“Now. We are leaving now.”

“Ya’ can’t go out there at night. You’ll freeze and ya’ ain’t got the supplies.” Daryl spoke up and Kate shot him a look to quiet him.

“Just listen to Rick and then we’ll decide,” Kate coaxed.

Charlie searched Kate’s eyes for a few moments before the fight seemed to flee from her and she nodded her head in defeat.

“So, tell us about the Governor.” Kate insisted, turning around to face the three men.

“How’d you know that name?” Rick asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Uh, Rick. That would be my fault. I accidentally mentioned him in front of Kate a few days ago.” Glenn said, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

Rick put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s fine.” He scratched at his beard thoughtfully and sighed through his nose. “The Governor, as he likes to call himself, is a very, very disturbed man. He ran a settlement not too far from here. His um…” he paused, his eyes flickering over to Daryl before he cleared his throat. “One of his men captured two of our own and we went to get them. Unfortunately, it ended in quite a mess, we lost some of our own…they lost some of theirs.

 In the process it somehow turned out into a full on war. By the end Woodbury was destroyed, that’s where many of the people who live here now come from, we took them in after the Governor officially lost it; he massacred a whole group after an unsuccessful attack on the prison. The Governor has it out for me, and I won’t sugar-coat it: he is dangerous. But we’ve had radio silence from him for weeks now. Mishonne was tracking him for a while before the trail went cold and that’s the last we heard. For all we know, he’s dead.”

“Fuckin’ idiots, why didn’t you just leave him the fuck alone?” Charlie demanded heatedly.

“Guy was a fucking psycho! His lackey beat the shit out of me and they were going to execute Maggie and I both!” Glenn snapped, stepping forward.

“Rick, this—this is a lot to take in. Can you…can Charlie and I have a few minutes?”

Rick looked between the two friends hesitantly before nodding his head and turning to walk off. Glenn and Hershel, who was still holding Judith, followed behind him. Daryl hesitated a moment longer, narrowing his eyes at Charlie.

“If I find out ya’ hit her again, I’ll give ya’ somethin’ to be ‘fraid of.” He growled before turning on his heel and stalking off after the others.

Kate whirled on Charlie as soon as they were out of sight. “What the hell Charlie?”

“I can’t fucking stay here anymore Kate. These people live in prison. A prison, Kate!” Charlie began in a harsh whisper.

“Yeah, a concrete-walled-several-layers-of-fenced-off prison.” Kate amended. “This place is _safe_. We could make a life here. We have numbers, we have friends. Don’t tell me you didn’t hit it off with Mishonne today.” Kate narrowed her eyes at Charlie, who looked guiltily at the ground.

“We had numbers…before.” Charlie pointed out.

“We did. But we were living on a campsite, it was only a matter of time…we can’t do this alone Charlie. We _need_ them.”

“I don’t need anyone,” Charlie spat.

Kate stepped back, her eyes hardening. The hurt evident there as tears began to collect in her eyes, a few spilling over the edge before she could stop them. She refused to wipe them away, let Charlie see how upset she was.  
                “I didn’t mean…I meant… _we_ don’t need anyone.” Charlie reached out her hand for Kate, but she smacked it away.

“We’re staying Charlie, and you better shut the _fuck_ up and get the hell over it. We can’t do this on our own. We don’t have anyone anymore. You’re the last family I have. I’m not loosing you out there, in here…ever. I won’t loose anyone else I care about.”

“You’re gonna loose people, Kate! If you haven’t noticed, people die in this world. No one is safe, ever. Look what happened to everyone: Nic, Olivia, Wyatt, Victo—“

“Don’t. Do not. Do _not_ say her name.” Kate backed even further away, tears spilling earnestly from her eyes now.

 “Kate—I’m sorry. But you have to face it. The world’s gone to shit. You have to let the past go, you aren’t a librarian anymore. You’re a survivor. You can’t be the same person you were before.”

“I can try!” Kate’s voice was strangled by tears, the words coming out as a choked sob.

Charlie’s features softened and she stepped towards her friend, wrapping her in her arms as Kate collapsed against her. “I know it’s hard,” Charlie whispered into Kate’s hair. “People are going to die, death is breathing down everyone’s necks, counting down, sitting on the sidelines. You don’t know who is going to be next, or when.”

Kate pushed Charlie way, shaking her head and rubbing the tears off her face. “Just stop, just shut up, okay? We’re staying here.”

Charlie opened her mouth to protest but closed it and sighed. “Fine. But when the Governor comes knocking I’m not going to save your ass.” Charlie quirked her lips at Kate in what Kate recognized as stubborn surrender, before Charlie disappeared behind her curtain into her cell. Kate leaned against the railing of the stairs, rubbing the tears out of her eyes and breathing deeply a few times before pushing away and heading towards the common area. When she reached the doorway she paused, her heart beating in her throat. She knew when she stepped out there everyone was going to know something was wrong. Her tear-stained face made sure of that, but she had no choice, she had to find Rick and attempt to patch things up for her and Charlie. Otherwise, it wasn’t going to be just Charlie who wanted them gone.

So distracted was she that she walked right into a solid mass, tripping backwards some and stuttering out an apology. A hand gripped her chin gently; tilting her head upwards where she came face to face with Daryl’s nakedly concerned expression. She flicked her eyes past his shoulder, trying to avoid his gaze and looking for Rick. “Ya’ alrigh’? She didn’ hurt you again?”

She wretched back out of his grip, her eyes angry. “Of course not, she never even would’ve hit me if everyone hadn’t cornered her. She’s been on edge since we lost…lost our group. I don’t need you to watch out for me. Especially where Charlie is concerned. She’s been my best friend for ten years; I don’t need you to step in.” She didn’t know why she was so angry with him, but the unshielded look of doubt in his eyes made her want to punch _him_ in the face.

“Some bes’ friend of yours. She cut ya cheek open, not ta’ mention ya’ gonna have a right ugly shiner in the mornin’!” Daryl snarled with such ferocity that Kate actually flinched.

“I—“ Kate began, reaching her finger up tentatively to her cheek where it was beginning to sting again. She pulled her hand away, only to see the scarlet liquid on her fingertips. The throbbing in her face became stronger as she allowed herself to think about the injury. She stared at her hand in disbelief before Daryl handed her a white piece of cloth.

She accepted it meekly and wiped her fingers, before pressing the fabric to her cheekbone below her right eye.

“You leavin’ then?” He asked in a detached voice.

Kate deflated. “No.”

Daryl’s head snapped up, his eyes searching her face as if he was waiting for her to tell him she was kidding.

“Not today,” she smiled slightly.

“Good, ya’ wouldn’ last a minute out there alone.”

“We were doing pretty well before you showed up,” she pointed out.

“Some thanks I got from ya’.” He snorted, but shot her a crooked smile.

She shook her head in exasperation. “You seen Rick?”

He nodded his head and pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll see ya’ in the mornin’?” It was asked softly.

“Yeah, Daryl. In the morning.”

He nodded his head distractedly. “Good.”

She put a hand on his arm, squeezing it gently before moving past him. She spotted Rick almost immediately, his head bent close to Hershel’s and Glenn’s. They all three looked up as she approached. She raised her hand slightly in a timid wave. Rick beckoned her over, his eyes guarded but a soft, open smile on his face. “Hey guys,” she greeted as she approached, grabbing her arm in her awkwardness.

“Hello, Kate. What’s the verdict?” Hershel asked his eyes crinkling upwards with his gentle smile.

“We’re staying.”

Glenn nodded and clapped her on the shoulder.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Rick confirmed.

“I’m sorry about Charlie…the pressure…and it’s hard for her to be around people, after…after what happened to our last group.”

“What happened?” Glenn asked curiously before shrugging in apology when Rick shot him a warning look.

“Um…we got…overrun. We didn’t…didn’t have the manpower or the gunpower to fight them off. It was…a—a massacre. Charlie, another friend, and I escaped to the woods; I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. We don’t know what happened to—to our friends. I saw…I saw a few of them fall…” Kate’s eyes began to fill with tears.

“What happened to your other friend?” Glenn pried before Hershel smacked him upside the head.

“You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want, sweetie.” The old man amended for his almost-son-in-law.

Glenn rubbed his head with his hand. “Yeah, sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. She uh…she was bit…I had to—I had—I’m sorry.” Kate apologized, glancing down on the floor and letting a few tears spill out.

A hand fell on her shoulder and she looked up into Rick’s understanding deep blue eyes. He nodded at her and she returned the gesture with a small smile. “I think…I think I’m gonna turn in. I’ll see y’all in the morning.”

The three men all said their goodbyes. Kate retreated to her room. She stopped outside Charlie’s cell first, feeling in her bones that Charlie was still awake. “You know I love you, Charlie. I’m just so scared, and I know you are too. It’s okay. We’ll make it through this together.” She waited for a moment, not really expecting an answer. When no was forthcoming she moved away with a sigh, looking forward to another lonely, most likely sleepless, night.


	9. Matchmaker, Matchmaker

**Chapter Nine**

_Matchmaker, Matchmaker_

Kate splashed water on her face before reaching for a towel, keeping her eyes scrunched close as she wiped the water off of her face quickly, goosebumps climbing up her arms in protest to the cold.  Blinking a few times she looked up into the cracked mirror that someone had managed to find. Her face was slowly starting to regain some weight, her eyes no longer had sunken, haunted look to them. Her hair was pulled back on top of her head in a messy bun, but she could deal with that later. She had no one to impress this morning. If she was being honest, she had no one to impress ever, but that was beside the point. She ran her tongue along her teeth in experimentation: they were still relatively white thanks to someone’s good thinking on a run where they’d grabbed several toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste.

Her freckles had started to fade back into her skin since the sky had become gloomier with the cold weather as of late. Her skin was always pale but now it looked almost ghostly in the beam of her flashlight on the counter top. She reached up and tucked a piece of hair that had escaped her up-do behind her ear. Her hand ran along her cheek to touch the pale pink line under her eye. The bruise from Charlie’s punch had receded over the past week but the cut where Charlie’s knuckles had broken her skin had not yet fully healed and at this point Kate figured it never would.

                Kate tossed the towel in the laundry bag on one of the benches, whistling to Jack who followed her out of the shower room and up to the main part of the prison. It was still early in the morning, there was barely any light shining through the tall windows of common area. She stopped back off at her room grabbing her blanket, pillow, and book. Jack trotted lightly after her as she made her way into the chilly morning air.

The sun had not yet risen over the trees but Kate realized there was probably little to no sun to be had today anyways. Dark grey clouds hung ominously in the sky as far as Kate could see. A persistent chill swept over the prison fields and Kate pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she strode across the grounds. Her bare legs broke out into goosebumps and her light cardigan did little to hide her arms from the coolness.

She made her way across the turf, her Converses soaking in the dew off of the grass, her socks a lost cause to the dampness. Reaching her destination, she craned her neck to look up: the watch tower sat imposingly high in the air, she gulped and looked around. Today was her first day on watch, and she was a bit intimidated by the tall concrete structure. She shifted her blanket to hang around her shoulders, gripping her pillow in one hand and sticking the book between her teeth she reached for the first rungs of the ladder, pulling herself up.  Jack paced around on the ground whining softly the further his owner climbed.

Halfway up she looked back down, attempting to hush Jack but only managing to spit all over the cover of the book clenched in her teeth. She sighed through her nose before finishing the climb. When she reached the top she threw her pillow over the edge before pulling herself up onto the floor of the tower. She spit her book out, wiping the cover on her shorts.

“Good Mornin’.”

Her head snapped up at the familiar voice. “Ugh, speak for yourself.”

Daryl smirked at her as she repositioned her blanket around her shoulders, letting it drop so that she could huddle into it like a cape. He had his chair balanced on its back legs, leaning back with his crossbow across his lap. His feet were crossed at the ankles; legs stretched out and propped up on the railing, the laces of his boots undone. He was wearing a dark blue button up underneath his signature leather vest. “Wha’ the princess don’t like her tower?”

“It’s freezing up here,” she complained, taking the empty chair and sitting down with a huff.

Daryl looked over at her out of the corner of his eye. “Ya’ know, you could’ve just said ya’ didn’ wanna go on watch. I’m sure ya’ could’ve watched the kiddies today instead.”

Kate repositioned herself in the chair, pulling her legs under her and using one of arms as a back rest, her pillow keeping the plastic from cutting into her. She adjusted the blanket so that it wrapped around her legs and torso. “Yeah, well. Rick asked me to do this, so that’s what I’m doing.”

Daryl shrugged and put his feet down, making Kate jump at the noise of the chair settling back on four legs. “Suit yourself.” He went to walk past her before turning and grabbing the rifle that had been leaning against the wall next to him. He put it within her reach.

“I can’t have that; Rick hasn’t even given me my own gun back yet.” She couldn’t help the bit of bitterness that slipped out of her voice.

“Ya’ ain’t gonna be much good up here without it. ‘Sides, Rick knew what he was doin’.” He winked.

She smiled back at him and settled into the chair, pulling her book out and turning to the page she was at.

“You already that far?”

“Well, yeah. There isn’t much to do in the evenings.” Kate said, glancing down at the book in her lap, she was a little more than half way through.

“We only went to the library two days ago,” Daryl pointed out.

“And we could’ve gone even earlier if you didn’t have to be such a stubborn ass,” Kate quipped back, but she was smiling.

“Ain’t my fault.”

“It wasn’t Charlie’s fault, either,” Kate reminded him. She turned back to her book but she could feel Daryl’s eyes on her. The debacle of attempting to convince Charlie and Daryl to go to the library with her was a fight she did not want to revisit. She wished the cheek that was turned towards him wasn’t the one Charlie had hit, but there was nothing she could do about it. “It’s fine, Daryl.” She sighed at him.

Daryl pulled his lip through his teeth in consideration before nodding to her and making his way down the ladder.

“Oh, and Daryl?”

He stopped mid-movement, half his body had disappeared out of the doorway. He tilted his head at her in question.

“Will you watch Jack for me?”

He squinted at her like she was crazy.

“Just for the morning, I’m sure you can pawn him off on Carl when he gets up for breakfast.” Kate bargained.

“Fine.” He vanished from her sight down the ladder.

“Thank you!” She called knowing that he had heard her. She settled in to wait out the early morning, getting lost in her book. Every few pages she would look up and scan the front perimeter of the prison, there were a few build-ups but nothing she had to worry about since she could make out figures taking care of it. The morning passed uneventfully. By lunch time she heard movement on the ladder and turned expectantly at the same moment that Maggie’s head popped into view.

“Hey, I brought you lunch, and decided to keep you company.” Maggie said as way of explanation as she handed Kate a plate of lettuce and carrots.

“Thanks, you didn’t have to do that.” She accepted the food eagerly, setting her book aside and biting into a carrot.

“I know that, but I’m familiar with how lonely it gets up here. Besides, I didn’t really have anything to do anyway.”

“How come?” Kate asked, raising an eyebrow. It wasn’t very often that people had free time in the middle of the day. She would’ve asked if everything was alright but Maggie was smiling so she figured whatever it was, it wasn’t anything to worry about.

“Rick said yes!” Maggie informed her as she took the empty seat that Daryl had occupied earlier that morning, dragging it so close that the arm of her chair was touching Kate’s.

“Yes..?”

“Glenn and I are having a wedding!” Maggie squealed with excitement.

“Oh my gosh!” Kate exclaimed, beaming happily. “I’m so glad! This is great!”

“Yes, and I have the day off to celebrate!”

“Shouldn’t you be spending that time with your hubby-to-be? Not up here in this drafty guard tower?” Kate asked.

“Well…Glenn and I already celebrated this morning…for a few hours.”

“Oh…” Kate blushed, giggling conspiratorially with her new friend.

“And I had to come tell my official wedding planner!” Maggie announced, grabbing one of Kate’s hands in both of hers.

“Oh, no…I couldn’t…I’m sure there is someone much more suited—“ Kate’s face started to burn despite the chill in the air.

“Nonsense, it would not even be happening without you. So, what’s first on the agenda?” Maggie asked eagerly.

Kate tapped her fingers to her chin in thought, before grinning. “Oh, who am I kidding? I’ve been planning this in my head since we first talked about it.”  
                Maggie laughed. “I knew it.”

“Okay, so, have you thought who is going to officiate?”

“Yup! I’ve already sent Charlie to ask Rick. I saw her this morning and she was heading off to patrol so I figured she could stop by the barn and talk to him.”

“Good girl.” Kate praised. “Now, your dad is obviously going to walk you down the aisle. You can pick from the girls who is going to be the flower girl. We can get Daryl to try and find some more flowers but I don’t know how much luck he’ll have. I’ll ask.”

“I’m sure you will.” Maggie teased.

Kate’s blush burned on the tips of her ears. “Anyway,” she emphasized, “I assume that Beth is going to be maid of honor?”

“Yeah, and that’s it. I don’t want this to be too big.”

“Sounds good. Does Glenn know who his best man is going to be?”

“Daryl.”

Kate laughed so hard she snorted, startling herself and sending both of the women into a fit of giggles. “Oh, he’s going to love that. I can’t wait for the best man’s speech.”

“Don’t tease him about it, Glenn was actually pretty serious. He was going to ask Rick but since he’s officiating that wouldn’t make any sense. And this way both of them can participate.”

“Good point, don’t worry, I won’t say anything to him.”

“I want to go soon to that bridal store that you found; Glenn and I are supposed to bring it up at the council meeting tonight, so that they can decide when we can go. You should be there, since you’re obviously going to need to come along.”

“I don’t know—“ Kate bit her lip.

Maggie reached out and grabbed her hand. “It’ll be fine.”

“I just—I haven’t left the prison since we got here. I’m a bit rusty. I was never much good out there anyways,” Kate shrugged.

“You’ll have me there. And Glenn. And whoever else decides to come with us. Plus, I’m sure you could kick some serious Walker ass if you put your mind to it.”

“Alright, if you think so…”

“I know so.” Maggie said confidently, which didn’t succeed in making Kate feel any better about the situation.

The two women continued to plan for a little while, Kate asking Maggie questions about the kind of dress that she wanted, thinking that they should probably have a good idea before going. That way they wouldn’t have to look through all of the dresses at the store. Once the sun started to fall over the other side of the prison they heard a noise on the ladder and fell quiet as they waited for their newest visitor to appear.

Charlie’s blonde head popped up through the entrance before she came over to the women sitting in the chairs. She eyed the rifle before looking to Kate, who shrugged. “Rick said ‘course he’d do it.”

“Really?” Maggie inquired skeptically.

“Alright, it might’ve taken a bit more cajoling than that,” Charlie admitted with a smirk. “But yes. He said he would.”

“Sweet,” Kate grinned. “Excellent work Charlie.”

Charlie rolled her eyes at Kate’s mock professionalism but she smiled under the praise anyways. The three women left the tower, Kate handing the gun off to a young woman named Jessica, who had come to relieve her, before the trio headed towards the mess for dinner. Maggie skipped off to join Glenn farther up the line, their fingers entwining as she reached him. She saw Maggie lean into whisper something to him before Glenn turned and gave Kate the thumbs up. She blew a kiss back at the couple.

“Ugh, Kate. C’mon. Enough with the gooeyness. I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Finally on my level, Blondie.” Daryl’s gruff voice spoke up from behind them.

“Speaking of gooey.” Charlie griped with an eye roll. “I’m going to go find us a table.”

She moved off and Kate turned to Daryl with her hands on her hips in exasperation. “Why do you have to do that?”

“Do wha’? She’s tha’ one that ran off.” Daryl defended himself.

“Sorry,” Kate sighed. “How was your day?” Kate felt something brush against her leg before he responded and looked down to see Jack panting happily from in between her and Daryl. She looked at Daryl with a raised eyebrow, surprised he’d kept her dog with him all day, but he merely shrugged.

“Fine, got some huntin’ done.”

“Answer any…important questions?” Kate wondered curiously, glancing at him out of the side of her eye.

He stiffened as he reached for a plate, taking it somewhat harshly out of Beth’s unsuspecting hands. “What’re you talkin’ about?”

Kate grabbed her own plate, shooting Beth a sorry-you-know-how-he-is look which Beth answered with a smile. She trotted after Daryl as he made his way to the table that Charlie had chosen, where Rick and Carl were already seated. Charlie sighed and stood to go get her own plate before Daryl and Kate even had a chance to sit down. She watched Charlie from her spot at the table as she reached the line, got a plate, and went to the opposite side of the small dining area, taking a seat next to Michonne.

“So, Kate, how’s the wedding planning coming?” Rick asked, always the first to make conversation, of which Kate was eternally grateful. She knew that Rick could read people about as well as she could, and the fact he’d picked up on her social awkwardness had saved her from long, anxiety inducing silences more than once.

“Great! Pretty much done already. To be honest I’d had ideas running around in my head as soon as Maggie and I talked about it. Passes the time.”

Rick smiled while Daryl snorted into his soup. “I figured as much.”

They continued to eat in silence, Daryl excusing himself as soon as his bowl was finished, claiming he had to clean some arrows but Kate figured he was just trying to avoid the topic of the wedding, and his involvement in it, for as long as possible.

“So, Percy kicked down a piece of the fence today.” Rick informed Kate.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I’ll fix it tomorrow.” Kate said sincerely, although she really had no idea how to mend a break in a wooden fence.

Rick nodded his head in acceptance of her apology. “I was thinkin’ Carl could help you.”

Kate smiled at the young man, who was scowling towards his father. “That would be great. I wouldn’t be honest if I said I had any clue how to go about fixing it.”

“I don’t want to help you.” Carl snapped. “Stop acting like one of us, you’re never going to be. You’re an outsider. We can’t trust you.”

“Carl,” Rick reprimanded but Carl had already snatched his plate off the table and stormed off. The two adults watched him go, Rick shaking his head and rubbing a hand over his face in frustration, a gesture that Kate recognized from her own father’s issues with her little brother.

“I’m sorry…I just don’t understand. Did I do something?” Kate asked in concern, her eyebrows knitted together as she fiddled with her spoon, chewing on her lip nervously.

“No, no…it’s not…” Rick sighed, putting the heel of his palms against his eyes before looking back up at Kate, placing his chin on his folded hands. “You would’ve…” he cleared his throat, shifting in his seat uncomfortably, obviously searching for the words he was about to say. Kate waited as patiently as she could, her heart hammering in her throat as she watched the man in front of her struggling to articulate why his son couldn’t stand her. “You would’ve liked his mother.”

Kate blinked in surprise. “L—Lori, right?”

The rugged man in front of her visibly flinched and she reached out towards him, only to let her hands fall on the table and knitting her fingers together.

“Yeah.” His voice was rugged, as if just the mention of her name was drowning him. She immediately felt bad for the direction this conversation had taken. “She uh, she was gentle…kind. She didn’t let this wo—world taint her.” He pressed his thumb against the side of his nose in concentration, his eyes red-rimmed as if he was having an allergic reaction. A muscle in his jaw twitched before he shifted his striking blue eyes to Kate’s who was paralyzed with curiosity and pinned to her seat by his stare. “…like you.”

“I—“ Kate started but found she didn’t have the words to convey how she felt. Her eyes began to burn with tears, guilty for having dredged up from the bottom of Rick’s vast ocean these painful memories. If he was telling her this, it must be what Carl was experiencing too. The realization hit her so hard she felt like she may faint. These people, who had taken her in when she and Charlie were stranded, were suffering just by being around her. “I’ll leave.” She conceded, “I can go in the morning. I—“

“No.”

“No?” Kate stopped talking to blink in confusion at Rick.

“Don’t leave.”

“But Carl—“

“He’s just…Carl. I don’t want you feeling like an outsider, you’ve proved yourself. What he’s going through is his battle to fight. I just needed you to know that his behavior has nothing to do with you.”

“But it does!”

“No. His attitude is between him and I. Not you.” Rick’s steely gaze kept her fixed to her metal bench. She licked her lips nervously before Rick continued. “You’ve been a great asset to this group. You’re dedicated to these people, you care about them.”

Kate nodded her head, her own jaw set with her conviction.

“Besides,” Rick smirked, finally looking more like the man that Kate had come to know and not the haunted person she caught glimpses of. “I think Daryl might put an arrow in my ass if I sent you away.”

Kate actually inhaled the bite of soup she’d been about to take, coughing and spluttering, causing half of the mess hall to look up at her curiously. Rick reached across the table to slap her back gently. She finally calmed down enough to gulp some much needed breaths of air. “Funny, Rick. Really funny.”

He just shrugged as she stood up from the table and made her way to the common area. She curled up in her spot on top of the stairs, opening up her book. She knew that Charlie had watch tonight with Michonne so she reconciled herself to an evening engrossed in the land of Middle Earth. She was enjoying the book. She’d been so excited when she’d found the whole trilogy in a part of the library, having never gotten around to reading the Tolkien classics before the end of the world. She remembered Daryl teasing her about them being too much of fantasy but she’d just countered that they were living in a horror novel which had shut him up pretty fast. She smiled at the memory as she turned the page.

She felt something grab on to her ankle, which was hanging over the edge of the stairs. She yelped, attempting to kick out at whatever had latched on to her. Thrashing about before she heard a voice: “Calm down there tiger, it’s jus’ me.”

“Jesus, Daryl. What is wrong with you?” She looked over the railing, yanking her foot out of his loose grip as he laughed at her.

“Sorry Princess, didn’ mean to scare you.” He grinned.

“Sure,” she mumbled, slipping her foot back through the railing and out of his reach, shoving her book in her face, hoping that he would just leave her alone. She’d been successfully avoiding him (or more accurately her feelings for him) for the past week. The scene with Charlie and everything that had happened earlier that evening still replayed in her head every night before she went to sleep. The way he’d looked at her face after Charlie had hit her, the way he’d held Judith in his arms, the way he’d tucked her hair behind her ear and called her pretty.

The very thought of it all caused her heart to flutter. She attempted to focus on the book, but the words stuck stubbornly to the page, looking like nothing more than a jumble of letters. Suddenly the book was ripped unceremoniously from her hands. “Hey!” She jumped; surprised by the fact that Daryl had been able to sneak up the stairs without her noticing. He held the book just out of her reach.

“C’mon. We’ve got a council meeting to get to.”

“What?”

“The happy bride-to-be told me to come and getcha. I don’ know why I had ta’ be the one ta’ do it,” he grumbled, continuing to hold the book out of her hands which were grabbing for it unsuccessfully.

She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in defeat. “I know why,” she grumbled before standing up grudgingly, ignoring the hand that he offered her.

“Why?”

She pushed passed him without an answer. She walked over to the exit she knew was the way towards the library. Daryl sighed and followed after her. They wound their way quietly through the labyrinth of the prison before coming to the room. The six adults that were already seated around the table looked up at the sound of the door opening.

“What is she doing here?” Sasha asked in curiosity.

“Beats me,” Kate shrugged, taking a seat.

Daryl leaned against a short bookshelf behind Kate’s chair, resting on his elbow and crossing his ankles.

“Alright, since everyone is here, I just wanted to inform you: we’re throwing a wedding.” Rick opened up the meeting.

“What?” A middle-aged woman with fiery red hair asked in surprise.

“Yeah, you heard me correctly.” Rick smiled. “That’s why Maggie is here too.”

“Congratulations,” Sasha turned towards the couple before looking back at Rick. “I just…don’t know if this is a good idea.”

“If I could?” Kate cleared her throat and every set of eyes flicked towards her. She reached her hand up as if to run her fingers through her hair before remembering she’d thrown it up in a bun that morning. She dropped her hand back down to her lap. “Um…I’ve already found somewhere to get Maggie’s dress.”

“It’s a waste to go out for something so frivolous.” The red-headed woman insisted.

“Marie, let her finish.” Rick commanded, waving his hand at Kate.

“I—um…well there is a Wal-Mart in the same shopping center. Glenn said that y’all had hit the Piggly Wiggly across the road but not the Wal-Mart. It could be a gold mine anyways, plus people need clothes for the winter.”

“Yeah, Kate and Charlie don’ have nothin’.” Daryl spoke up. “And Lil’ Asskicker is already growin’ outta hers. Plus, it’s a Super Wal-Mart. Probably got food and all kinds of shit in it.”

Kate smiled at him in thanks of backing her up. He flicked his eyes to her before looking at Rick who nodded his head.

“It sounds like you’ve already got it all planned out.” Sasha commented, shaking her head in thought.

“When do you want to leave?” Rick asked turning to Glenn and Maggie.

“Next week?” Glenn proposed.

Rick nodded in confirmation, turning to the rest of the group who all gave various kinds of agreement.

“Who are you planning to take with you? It shouldn’t be a big group; I don’t want to risk too many people on this mostly unnecessary run.” Marie raised an eyebrow in challenge.

“Well, Glenn and I for one.” Maggie answered.

“I’ll go; been a while since I’ve done anything but hunt.” Daryl cut in, smiling and shifting his crossbow on his shoulder.

“Thanks! Real best man material, right here.” Glenn beamed at Daryl, who looked down, suddenly very interested in his shoelaces as everyone’s eyes widened and moved to him. Glenn rubbed the back of his neck and laughed awkwardly.

“Alright, well…” Rick attempted to call the meeting back to order.

“I’d feel better if you took at least one other person with you,” Hershel spoke up for the first time from where he sat across from Kate.

“Kate.” Maggie declared without hesitation. “We already talked about it, and she said she’d go. Right, Kate?”

“I—uh—“ Kate stuttered, feeling the blood rush into her face and chest.

“She can’t go! We barely know her. What if she took your supplies and the car and left you stranded out there!” Marie pointed out indigently.

Kate actually turned to her, a reply sharp on her tongue before Daryl spoke up instead.

“That’s ridiculous.” He scoffed. “I could take her wit’ both my hands ‘round by back.”

“Gee thanks,” she muttered to him out of the corner of her mouth, crossing her arms over her chest and slouching down into her chair. “Look, I’m not going to defend myself. I feel like I’ve done plenty to prove where Charlie and mine’s loyalties lie. If you don’t think I’m trustworthy, take someone else.”

Rick looked around the rest of the group: no one else seemed all that opposed.

“I think she should come too,” Glenn piped up, giving Kate a smile which she returned.

“Alright, well it’s settled then. Daryl, Kate, Maggie, and Glenn will head out first light next week. I don’t want you gone too long. Take the SUV, and be back well before dark.”

With the meeting officially adjourned everyone headed back up the hallway together. It was quiet as they walked into the common room, the summit having taken a lot longer than she had realized. She waved good night to everyone and headed to her own bed, Jack appearing out of Carl’s room and following her. She lay down on her bed, pulling the hair tie out of the tangled mess on her head, letting her brown locks fall out around her shoulders. The candle that Beth had given her a few days ago was burning on an upturned bucket she used as a night stand. She stared up at the bottom bunk, not very tired but unsure why.

A knock on the outside of her bars made her sit up on her elbows. “Come in!” She called quietly, expecting Charlie back from her evening watch shift. Instead Daryl stepped through the blue curtain. Jack jumped off the bed as Kate sat up, running her fingers through her hair and swinging her legs off the bed.

“What’s up?” She asked, the words forcing their way out of her throat, her palms beginning to sweat nervously. She looked down at her holey socks, attempting to reign in her breathing.

“Jus’ returnin’ this.” He held out her copy of _The Fellowship of the Ring_ which she hadn’t realized he still had.

“Oh, um…thanks.” She took the book gingerly from him, careful not to touch his fingers. She dropped it next to the candle on her bucket.

Daryl lingered by her bed, reaching down to stroke Jack’s head. She watched him, brushing her toe back and forth over the concrete, thankful that the prison’s walls worked as an insulator, keeping it relatively un-drafty.

“Thanks, I guess. For sticking up for me at the meeting.” She broke the silence.

“Wasn’t nothing.”

Kate looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Wasn’t anything,” he snorted, but smiled crookedly at her. “Marie’s kind of a bitch. Argues jus’ ta’ argue. Woodbury people voted her in, ‘long with Sasha.”

“Interesting; two women, even if one’s not so great. I could get behind that.” Kate laughed softly.

“After wha’ they went through, makes sense.” Daryl agreed.

She nodded her head and they lapsed back into silence. Kate tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She could feel Daryl watching her, her neck tingling with a slight blush. He wasn’t very far away; standing just next to her cot, his boots were only an inch or so from her feet which dangled off the side of the bed.

He reached up to the circle of flowers that she had hung on the post of the top bunk. They were dying and as he touched them one of the petals fell off, drifting to the ground. They both looked at it as it landed before finding each other’s gaze. He was twisting and untwisting his fingers in the strap of his crossbow. Looking down at her and then up at the flowers. Kate stared at him with an inquiring look in her eyes, wondering what exactly was going through that illusive mind of his. Before she could articulate her question he bent down to her level, tilting his shoulders so that his crossbow wouldn’t slip off and smack her in the face. He gently brought his hand up to her cheek and looked her in the eye.

Her lips parted involuntarily as her breath hitched in her chest. She was certain he could feel the frantic beating of her heart in her neck but if he did, he didn’t show it. Instead he stared at her, his blue eyes darting all over her face, scrutinizing it in silence. Just as she had regained some sort of composure and had begun to ask what his problem was he leaned in closer, stopping just short of her face, as if he was waiting for her to pull away. Every ounce of her was screaming to, but she found she couldn’t move. She could feel his hot breath on her lips. Finally he moved forward, tilting his face at the last second so that his lips just grazed her cheek.

He pulled away just as suddenly as he had advanced towards her. “Good nigh’.” He muttered before disappearing through the doorway. Kate reached up to gently brush her fingers against her cheek, which was tingling with the ghost of his lips; warm where his scruff had brushed against the side of her mouth. She smiled slightly as she leaned over and blew out the candle.

 


	10. Training in Temptations

**Chapter Ten**

_Training in Temptations_

                Kate sat at a bench on the basketball courts enjoying the feeling of the sun’s warm rays dancing across her shoulders. The chillier weather had broken for the day and it was finally pleasant outside for once. She guessed it was probably about seventy degrees or pretty much damn near perfect weather; the humidity had been broken by several rain storms over the past few days and now the light breeze that sped across fields was welcome. The day had been a brilliant one so far, peaceful.

                “Miss Kate! Miss Kate!” A few of the children she was watching had made their way over to her bench.

                “Hey guys, what’s up?” Kate smiled at the eager faces around her.

                “Can we go play soccer in the field?” They held out the tattered soccer ball that Glenn had picked up on a run a few weeks ago. Kate looked over to Beth, who was sitting next to her on the bench. The blonde girl shrugged.

                “Sure, let’s go.” The kids took off in excitement. “Slow down and wait for Miss Beth and I at the gate!” She called after them, watching them intently as they skidded to a stop as they reached the fence that led out into the field. Kate shook her head and helped Beth pick up the blanket and red solo cups that were scattered on the ground where Judith had been entertaining herself. Beth grabbed the happy little girl up in her arms and they made their way down into the field.

                Kate spread the blanket out on the ground and held Judith while Beth got comfortable before handing the baby to her. Beth arranged the girl’s playthings on the blanket in reach of the young girl who sat up on her own and happily banged around the cups. Kate was about to sit down when she felt a small hand slip into her own. She looked down to see Timothy, one of the boys, tugging on her.

                “Come play with us,” he smiled.

“Oh, I don’t know Timothy, I’m not very good.” Kate laughed.

“The teams are uneven; we need someone else to play!” Several of the other children shouted their enthusiastic agreement. She hushed them before smiling and letting Timothy lead her over to where the children had set up a small boundary with a few sticks shoved in the ground as goal posts.

                She joined Timothy’s team since they had one less player than Lizzie’s. The two of them were the oldest of the children so it automatically made them the captains. The ball was put in the middle and the game started. It wasn’t long before Kate had to take off her sweater, tossing it to Beth, who caught it with one hand and put it on the blanket.

                Kate started off by not participating much, afraid of embarrassing herself. The ground was wet from the morning dew still and Kate knew her Converse had no traction whatsoever. She began by only doing anything when someone kicked the ball back to her, since she didn’t want to present a false advantage for her team, but after a while she realized that some of the kids were much better than she ever had been.

Finally after as much self-restraint as she could possibly muster her competitive spirit kicked in and she could no longer hold back. The children responded eagerly, kicking the ball to her as much as possible. They seemed as if they were testing her for some reason Kate just couldn’t figure out. She paid no mind to them as she kicked the ball towards Timothy, trying to keep it away from the other team. She missed the first goal she tried to score, much to the disappointment of her teammates.

                The next time the ball was passed to her she dribbled it down the field, the pack of children running after her. Lizzie tried to slip her foot in to steal the ball but Kate turned and danced away while Lizzie let out a frustrated laugh and continued to pursue her. Kate kicked the ball towards Dakota, who was playing goalie, with the inside of her foot, remembering her days of little league and useless physical education drills. The soccer ball arched upwards, sailing over Lizzie’s head as she ran to defend her goal. Kate smiled and let out a breath, stopping to watch her triumph. The ball almost slipped through, but at the last moment Dakota jumped towards it and batted it away with her both of her hands.

                “Damn!” Kate covered her mouth as soon as the word slipped out.

                A few of the children turned to her with wide eyes, but their exclamations of “Miss Kate said a bad word” were drowned out by someone guffawing behind her. She spun on her heel to see Daryl standing next to Beth, Judith on his hip. She quirked a smile at him before walking over towards where the trio standing on the sidelines.

                “Gettin’ your ass whooped by a bunch of kids?” Daryl greeted her as she approached.

                She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and bent over to pick up her water bottle off the ground, she took a few long gulps before leveling her gaze at Daryl. “I was just going easy on them.”

                He snorted and raised an eyebrow.

                “What are you doing over this way anyhow?” She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

                “I was thinkin’,” he paused to give Judith back to Beth who walked a few paces away and sat back down on the blanket with the baby, not so subtly eyeing her two friends. “Since you’re goin’ with us at the end of the week, I figured now was a good time to keep my promise.” He rubbed the back of his neck roughly, peeking at her from under his messy strands of brown hair.

                Kate furrowed her eyebrows together. “What promise?”

                “I said I’d teach ya’ some moves with yer knife.” Daryl explained, gesturing awkwardly to her hip, where the holster for her knife sat.

                “Oh, um—“ she cleared her throat. “I—yeah, sure. I’d like that.” She smiled at him.

                “Alrigh’ well, let’s go get tha’ horses.” He turned away.

                “Horses?”

                “Bike would be too loud.”

                She jogged to catch up to him as he headed towards the barn, hooking her hand around his arm and pulling him gently to a stop. “Where are we going? Can’t we just…do it here?” She gestured to the large field around them.

                Daryl shook his head before continuing walking. “Nah, ain’t no Walkers to practice with.”

                “W—walkers? Wait, you want me to actually go out there and kill Walkers?”

                Daryl looked at her with exasperation. “Wha’ was you thinkin’?”

                “I—I don’t know,” Kate admitted, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

                “We’re gonna take the horses out into the woods, I know where there’s been a few Walkers roamin’ ‘round. They shouldn’t give us too much trouble, but they’ll be perfect for practicin’.”

                “I’m not sure about this—I mean, shouldn’t we tell someone we’re leaving?” Kate looked around as if expecting someone to pop out from behind the barn and come to her rescue.

                “Beth knows, and I told Rick earlier.” Daryl informed her, hopping the fence, picking up Annie’s bridle, and walking over to the black mare. Kate climbed over the gate less gracefully, following him with reluctance. She snatched Percy’s bridle off the fence and went over to the gelding. They pulled the bridles onto the horses and led them over to the fence where they began to saddle them.

                “Rick said it was okay?” Kate asked skeptically as she finished cinching the girth, partially hoping that Daryl had been lying to her.

                Daryl ducked under Annie’s neck, coming up next to Kate. “He agreed it’d be a good idea before ya’ went out on the run with us.”

                Kate bit her lip and avoided Daryl’s eyes, pretending to adjust Percy’s saddle, smoothing her hand along his back. She could feel Daryl watching her nervously stroke her horse. “You’ll be fine. I won’t let nothin’ happen to ya’.” He reassured her.

                Kate searched his blue eyes for a moment before sighing through her nose and turning to grab Percy’s reins. “I know.” She turned and gave him a small smile. “Well, let’s get this over with.”

                She pulled Percy towards the entrance, Daryl following behind with Annie. They made their way over to the gates, where they swung into their saddles. Rick came walking over from the guard tower as Tyreese moved to open the gates. He held his hand up at the man, who paused in his efforts to let Daryl and Kate out. Kate gave Daryl a questioning glance over her shoulder.  Daryl leaned forward against the pommel of his saddle in interest, watching Rick approach. Rick came to a stop by Kate’s leg, smoothing his hand down Percy’s neck before squinting up at Kate. He reached into the back pocket of his pants and drew out her revolver. He laid the walnut handle gently on her thigh.

                “I think you’ve earned this,” he said, gesturing for her to take it.

                She blinked at him, tears stinging the backs of her eyes, before she wrapped her hand around the wooden handle and tucked it into the back of her denim shorts. “I—thank you.”

                Rick nodded and stepped back from Percy’s side, his hands on his hips. “Be safe. Both of you.” He turned to look at Daryl who nodded intently at him. “And be back before dark.”

                “Yeah, yeah.” Daryl straightened up in his seat and nudged Annie with his heels. He gripped Rick’s hand in passing before coming to up next to Kate at the entrance. “Ya’ ready?”

                Kate looked towards the bridge that would lead them into the tree line. A few stray walkers aimlessly stumbled around, unawares of the prey that was getting ready to make a break for it. Kate swallowed and clenched her fists in her hands before pushing her heels down in the stirrups and nodding determinedly. At her signal Tyreese pulled the gates open and Daryl looked over at her.

                “Hiyah!” he kicked Annie’s sides. The mare sprung forward easily, the horses wound tight from being in the prison for the past month. Kate barely had to nudge Percy to get him to follow his companion out from the safety of the fences. Kate looked back over her shoulder as they galloped away. Tyreese had closed the fence and Rick was starting to walk back up the hill already. A few of the corpses had noticed the sounds and were following in curiosity but were easily out run.

                The prison disappeared quickly as Daryl and Kate rounded the bend. After a few minutes of hard riding Daryl began to pull up Annie. Kate followed his lead until both of the horses were walking side by side. Kate rested her hand on her hip and for a while they ambled along in the silence, nothing but the sounds of the horse’s hooves on the road. The trees gave way to large, rolling fields on either side. On one side walkers roamed, their jerking movements turning towards the sound of the horses approaching. Daryl whistled softly to get her attention and jerked his head, squeezing his heels to Annie’s side. Kate followed him as he turned off the road to the field that wasn’t occupied by walkers. They cantered through the tall, yellow stalks of grass, the tips of which whipped against Kate’s bare legs.

                When they broke through the trees they slowed to a walk again. A game path was just distinguishable in the dim light of the forest. They walked single file through the trees, Kate’s skin tingling the whole time in anxiety. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of the bushes made her swing around in the saddle to scan the forest. The only thing that kept her from jumping out of her skin completely at the smallest noise was Daryl’s calm presence in front of her. His crossbow was slung across his back, partially obscuring the angel wings on his vest. His navy blue button up was just distinguishable from underneath the hair that brushed against the collar.

                The more she stared at the back of Daryl’s head, the more her stomach fluttered nervously. It had been a few days since he’d returned her book and kissed her cheek. Just thinking about it still made her skin tingle. Yet, he had gone on acting as if nothing had happened. They exchanged pleasantries and banter exactly like they had before, yet he’d practically avoided any instance to touch her, or even be alone with her. The mixed signals were driving her up a wall. She wished she could get the gumption up to just plant one on him.

                Maybe she would. They were all alone out here, in the woods. What’s the worst that could happen? He’d refuse her? Leave her out here on her own? She trusted that he wouldn’t do that. No matter how gruff he acted Kate knew better than to think he would leave someone as completely helpless as herself unprotected. So what really was the worst? He would deny her? Push her away? She wondered if she could stand the shame of that.

                The noises of the forest snapped Kate out of her thoughts; she could feel her heart pounding in her throat, the persistent throbbing of adrenaline through her veins was uncomfortable. “How much farther?” She whispered at Daryl’s back, confident that he would be able to hear her.

                He turned around in the saddle, putting his finger to his lips before holding up his hand, fingers splayed.

                “Five miles? Minutes?”

                “Minutes, now quit your yackin’.” He scolded but there wasn’t any heat to the words.

                Kate smirked at him as he turned back around in the saddle, shaking his head as he did so. The five minutes Daryl had promised her seemed to draw out for far longer and Kate wondered if he was using his advantage to not tell her the truth about how long it was really going to take to get to where they were going. She was about to call up to him again when the trees began to thin. They finally broke through, coming up to a surprisingly large meadow, complete with a small pond. The grass was short here, probably from animals feeding in the open area. She could see dragonflies flitting across the still water of the pond. Besides the bugs on the surface of the water nothing moved. Kate and Daryl dismounted, tying the horses to trees on the edge of the meadow. Kate turned to Daryl expectantly, her hands on her hips.

                He didn’t acknowledge her; pulling out his knife instead. He slid it across his palm, wincing slightly.

                “What are you doing?” Kate exclaimed, stepping towards him but he shifted out of her path and moved to the trees a few yards away from where the horses were tied. Kate watched curiously as he wiped his hand on the trunks of a few trees, smears of blood left behind on the bark. He came back over, cradling his hand towards his stomach to keep any more of his blood from dripping onto the ground. He one handedly opened up a satchel on Annie’s saddle, taking out two clean strips of cloth.

                Kate opened her own bag and took out one of the water bottles she had seen him stash in there as they tacked up. She held out her hand for his, waiting patiently as he struggled trying to bandage the wound himself. He gave up with a frustrated grunt before reluctantly holding out his hand, palm up. Kate grabbed one of the strips of cloth from him, unscrewing the top the water bottle. She poured some of it onto the cloth before turning to dump the rest onto his palm, letting the flow wash away a few pieces of dirt and bark that she could see; black against red.

Once the bottle was empty she dropped it on the ground, taking Daryl’s hand gently in hers she dabbed the damp cloth over the wound, wiping away the last bits of blood and grime from the shallow cut. He passed her the other cloth. She gently wrapped it around his palm. After tying it she let her hand rest in his own, her fingers ghosting over the under side of his wrist. They both looked down at their hands, before Daryl dropped his to his side, clenching it into a fist.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

“That was kind of stupid.” She replied.

He shrugged. “Them walkers from the road should already be followin’ our scent. This was just a little extra incentive.”

Kate looked uneasily towards the trees where Daryl’s fresh blood glinting in the sun. She shivered slightly, goosebumps rising on her arms.

                “Lemme see your gun.” Daryl said quietly.

                Kate looked back to him, to find his eyes watching her with a steady calm. She pulled the gun out of her shorts, holding it in both of her hands, possessively cradling it against her stomach. She stroked her thumb against the handle before sighing and grudgingly placing it in Daryl’s outstretched hand.

                “A Wesson?”

                Kate nodded her head.

                Daryl popped the chamber open.

                “There’s only one—what?” Kate asked in astonishment.

                “Lucky you,” Daryl commented in amusement. Six golden bullets shimmered in the chamber.

                “I used all of my bullets except for one trying get away from those walkers that day you found us….I don’t understand.”

                “.357 Magnum.” Daryl shook his head, clicking the chamber back in place. “Same as Rick’s Python.”

                “He—he gave me bullets?”

                “Looks like it.” Daryl conceded, handing the revolver back to her.

                Kate took it, glancing at the bullets once more in astonishment before tucking it back into her jeans. “Remind me to replace those for him.”

                Daryl didn’t answer her. Instead he turned to grab the back pack he’d brought with him and slung it over his shoulder. They walked into the center of the field where Daryl set down the pack and pulled out a blanket. He spread it out and gestured for her to sit. “What are we doing?” She asked instead.

                “Waitin’.” He sat. “Now sit your ass down.”

                Kate rolled her eyes at him but complied, crossing her legs under her. They sat like that for a little while, enjoying the steady breeze that tugged at their clothes and carried away the sweat from their bodies. Kate took the time to rebraid her hair, making sure all the stray pieces were tucked neatly within it. She took out her gun, checking the rounds one more time before setting it on the blanket between them. The blue metal glinted in the sunlight.

                “Ya’ sure are fond of that gun.”

                Kate bit her lip. “You make it sound like I shouldn’t be. It has saved my life more times then I’d care to count.”

                Daryl rolled his shoulders, leaning back on his elbows where he was splayed out across from her. “Ya’ just don’t seem the kind.”

                Kate raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, I guess you’re right.” She acknowledged. “I’d never touched a gun before the world went to shit. To be honest they scared the hell out of me, I didn’t even like when cops carried them.”

                Daryl snorted. “You was one of them people that wanted to ban guns weren’t cha?”

                Kate laughed. “Yeah, yeah I was.” Her voice drifted off into a sigh. They both sat in the silence for a few moments, thinking about a time that seemed so long ago now.

                “So if ya’ didn’t have a gun on ya’ where’d you get that one?”

                Kate stared down at the weapon between them, biting on her cuticles. “It was a friend of mine’s.” She finally admitted.

                “He with the group ya’ had before?” Daryl had sat up now and turned towards her, his head tilted slightly to the side in curiosity. His blue eyes squinted at her, roaming over her face intently.

                “She,” Kate corrected. “But yeah.” Kate already felt tears brewing behind her eyelids.

                “How many of ya’ were there?” Daryl pressed.

                “Thirty two, by the time all was said and done. But my friends? There were eight of us.”

                “Ya’ know them in high school as well?”

                “Most of them, except—Nic,” her throat closed around the name and she coughed softly.

                “Sorry, I didn’ mean…” Daryl muttered, shifting slightly away from her at the sight of her watery eyes. He dropped his gaze.

                Kate took a deep breath. “No, it’s alright. I get that you’re curious. It’s probably good to talk about them. Keeps their memories alive. I don’t…I don’t want to forget them.”

                “So,” Daryl said, peeking at her from underneath his unruly brown hair. “Tell me ‘bout ‘em.”

                “What do you want to know?” Kate asked with a bright smile, the pain clenched her heart but she genuinely found herself wanting to share some of her story for the first time since this whole thing had begun.

                “What happened?”

                “I don’t know where to start—“ she drifted off.

                “Our first place got over run. We were camped on a quarry outside Atlanta. Lost a few good people, a few not so good people. Then we went to the CDC, thought we could dig up some answers. Fucker tried to kill us all, CDC blew up—“

                “Wait. Is that what that was?”

                “Big explosion in Atlanta?”

                “God, yes. We saw the black clouds; they hung over the city for days. You could even see them through the trees. You were there?”

                Daryl nodded.

                “Jesus,” Kate murmured, blowing a piece of hair that had loosened itself from her braid off her face.

                “JC got nothin’ to do with it.”

                “I guess I’d have to agree with you there.”

                Their eyes connected for a brief second before they went back to staring at their respective spots on the blanket.

                “We lived on Hershel’s farm for a while, till that got overrun too. Lost even more good people tha’ night. Were on the run fo’ a while. Then we found the prison.”

                “It’s a great place.” Kate offered.

                Daryl nodded, pulling a knee up and resting his arm on top of it, staring off into the tree line. “Your turn.”

                “I had been living in England for the past year—“

                “England?”

                “Yes, with Charlie and my friend Olivia. We moved there after Olivia finally graduated college, she’s two years younger than me…I lived in New York City while I waited for her to finish up back home in South Carolina. Charlie came with us on a whim, it wasn’t planned that way, but Charlie’s always been a bit more freewheeling then Olivia or I. We came home for the first time since we moved. Met up with Ashley, Charlie’s on-again-off-again boyfriend—“

                “Ashley’s a girl’s name.”

                “Yes, well. Tell Ashley that.” She laughed. “Are you going to let me finish?”

                He gestured for her to continue, his blue eyes staring at her with patience and the faintest glimmer of curiosity.

                “Ben, Ashley’s best friend; Nic, my best friend from college; Vic—Victo—“ Kate’s eyes stung with tears and she wiped them away in frustration. Sniffling, she took another shaky breath before continuing. “Victoria and her boyfriend Wyatt.” She rushed out.              

                “We were camping up on Stone Mountain when we came across our first Walker. We got the hell out of there pretty quick, didn’t shoot it or anything since we had no idea what the hell it was. Thankfully Victoria always kept an arsenal in the back of her car; I don’t know how far we would’ve made it without it.”

Daryl raised an eyebrow.

“Her dad was Military, and a police officer. He always made sure his daughters were safe and could protect themselves. The Colonel was someone you definitely didn’t want to mess with.” She explained, smiling fondly at the memory before continuing.

 “We got on the road shortly after that and headed for Charleston. Unfortunately, that meant slamming right into the traffic snarl outside Atlanta. We tried to get around, drove until our cars ran out of gas and then we walked, camping from place to place, taking out stray walkers as we went. It wasn’t until we came across another group that we were able to set up some sort of permanent camp. We did well for a while; it was tucked away in the woods. We were lucky to have stumbled upon it in the first place. We fortified the boarders with pine trees and had shifts of people on the walls at all times. There where never more then twenty or thirty walkers at once, so we did alright for a while. Until…”  

 


	11. Petrichor

**Chapter Eleven**

_Petrichor_

                Kate stepped out of the RV and took a moment to look over the scene in front of her. She could make out the shadows of a few people walking the walls on watch around the camp. The stars were glittering in the sky, it was shocking how many had become visible since electricity was more scarce than anything these days. The gentle sounds of crackling fire and murmured conversation was like water running over rocks in the river bed. Kate’s eyes fell on a blonde leaning against a log, solitary, poking at few logs in a fire with a stick. Kate pushed off of the side of the RV and made her way over to the young woman.

                When she was across the fire the blonde looked up and flashed her a quick smile. Kate grinned back, circling the fire and coming to sit on the log next to the woman’s head.

                “Hey Charlie,” Kate greeted as she sat. Charlie replied by leaning her head against Kate’s bare leg. Kate found her hand carding through Charlie’s short blonde hair. The orange light of the fire danced off of their bare legs, both of which were stretched out in front of them, Charlie’s boots daringly close to the white stones circling the fire.

                They sat quietly for a few moments before another woman walked into their small camp area. She had a rifle slung over her back and her tangled red hair was pulled back in a ponytail which swung behind her shoulders except for a few strands that framed her elegant, long face. She smiled widely and took a seat across the fire from Charlie and Kate, folding her long legs under her.

                “Howdy Liv!” Kate greeted quietly, aware that Charlie had dozed off against her thigh.

                “Hey Katie.”

                “How was watch?”

                “Boring,” Olivia scoffed, reaching behind her head to tug out her ponytail. Her fiery hair tumbled down her shoulders. She ran a hand through it, pulling out tangles methodically, the red shining drastically in the flames.

                “Did you see them come back?” Kate asked, her eyes flickering behind Olivia’s head to where the wall was in the distance.

                Olivia shook her head, taking the rifle off of her shoulders and leaning it against the log next to her. “They should be back soon. I’m going to get cleaned up.” Olivia stood, raising her arms over her head as she did so and leaning backwards to stretch. She came around the fire to gently rest a hand in Charlie’s hair and leaned over to peck a kiss onto Kate’s round cheek. Kate turned her face into the kiss affectionately.

                “Ta, love.” Kate said, as Olivia danced off, hips swaying as she did so. Charlie stirred next to her, lifting her head, before pulling herself up onto the log next to Kate. “You just missed Liv,” Kate informed her.

                “Yeah, I heard you talking.” Charlie’s hazel eyes were fixed on the flames in front of her. Kate could see her strong arms flexing as she prodded the flames with a stick.

                “It’s fine, they’ll be back soon.” Kate assured, bumming their shoulders.

                Charlie gave a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat.

                “Yeah, Char, no worries!” Came a male voice from behind them.

Kate felt a hand rest on her head, and she grabbed the wrist of the person fondly. “Hey Ben!” She greeted as Charlie sprang up, hopping over the log and running into the arms of a waiting, shaggy brown haired man. Ben dropped his hand from Kate’s head and took Charlie’s place on the log, his tall frame folding over as he grabbed the stick Charlie had been stoking the fire with and began to break it up into pieces.

Kate turned around to see a skinny blonde woman and a short brown haired man with a rugged beard appear behind Charlie and Ashley, who were engaging in a fierce, lip-locked battle. “Victoria! Wyatt!” She grinned as they took a seat across the fire from her and Ben. In one hand Victoria was holding a string with three rabbits tied onto it, with the other she clasped Wyatt’s hand hard.

“Hey Mom!” They replied in unison.

“Oh shut up.”

“How much weight did she loose worrying today?” They ignored her, as Wyatt called over to Charlie, who finally made an appearance by the fire.

“I’d say about five pounds from the look of her,” Ben joked, putting a hand on her stomach.

She pushed him away. “Whatever. You guys were gone long after sundown! What was I supposed to think?”

“Not our fault Kate, there were a ton of—“

The three others that had been gone all gave Victoria a look, as she trailed off. Her big blue eyes wide in the firelight as she bit her lip.

“A ton of what?” Charlie asked, sitting up some.

“Roamers,” Ashley said quietly, staring at the fire.

Charlie’s grip tightened reflexively where she had her hand draped over Ashley’s knee. Kate shuddered slightly, causing Ben to put his arm around her. She leaned into him, nervously worrying at her lip. “Why do you think there’s been more the past few days?”

Wyatt shrugged as he watched Victoria take out her knife and begin to skin the rabbits. A horse whinnied in the quiet and Kate followed the sound over to where the horses were tied a few yards away. The little group was silent for a few moments; the only sound a morning dove cooing in the distance.

Suddenly a scream split the quiet night air. Ben jerked up, his rifle pointed towards the sound. Kate was frozen to the log, her legs having completely lost feeling as fear coursed through her. Victoria sprung up, her revolver also aimed towards the noise. The rest of the group had risen to their feet in one swift motion. Another scream, a man’s this time pierced the darkness.

“ROAMERS IN THE CAMP!” Suddenly the rasping sound of the dead could be heard coming towards them. Shadows stumbled around in the dark as Victoria, Wyatt, Ashley, and Ben all trained their guns on the figures, not knowing if they were friend or foe. Before long, in the light of several fires burning around camp a swarm of the undead could be seen, their stench preceding them, making Kate put hand over her nose and mouth.

“Kate, get up.” Ben grabbed her upper arm and jerked her to her feet. She scrambled against him, clutching the back of his flannel shirt and quivering. He turned his green eyes on her, searching her face. Gunshots began to ring out around them and Kate’s frightened eyes followed the noises. Ben grabbed her chin and turned her face towards him. “Kate, where is Olivia?”

“I—“

“Where is she?”

“RV,” Kate panted out.

Ben’s eyes cut to the RV behind them. “Victoria! Cover Kate, I’ve got to get to the RV!”

The blonde nodded without taking her eyes off of the undead woman making her way towards them. She picked her off with a clean shot to the head.

 “You stay here as long as you can but if y’all think you’re going to get over run, get out of here! You go. Do you understand me?” Ben’s eyes never left Kate’s frightened ones but his voice had risen in command, she could feel everyone else’s consent radiating off of them. “Dammit,” Ben cursed under his breath, hot on Kate’s face. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly, the hold on Kate’s chin hard enough to bruise. His eyes flashed opened. He pulled Kate to him, giving her a brief one armed hug, kissing the crown of her head before letting go and pushing her towards Wyatt and Victoria.

Kate tripped over herself on her way over, clutching onto Wyatt’s arm as he took aim at an approaching undead. She looked behind her to Charlie, who was huddled next to Ashley, unarmed. Ashley was picking off the dead as they came stumbling towards the couple but they were closing in quickly. Everywhere Kate looked she could see the lurching gait of the dead and see hear the screams.

“Tor, it’s getting bad, you need to get out of here.” Wyatt said to the back of his girlfriend’s head.

“No, we can take them.” She gritted through her teeth as she pulled more rounds out of her pocket and loaded them into the gun with steady hands. Wyatt shot at a woman missing both her arms which came to close for comfort. Wyatt grabbed Victoria, spinning her around and causing her to drop a bullet. He kissed her once, quickly and fiercely, twisting a hand in her wild hair.

“Go. I love you.”

“I love you too,” there where no tears in Victoria’s eyes, just rage and defeat. She grabbed Kate’s hand and pulled her away. Wyatt dropped down to one knee, resting the shotgun against his shoulder and began to take out the undead left and right. As they reached Ashley his gun clicked and he threw it to the ground, yelling in frustration before pulling out his knife.

Kate grabbed Charlie and pulled her out of the way as a rotting man reached for her. Ashley spun around, slashing wildly at the monster, managing to imbed his hunting knife into the creature’s skull, but as he did so another one came out of no where and bit into his arm. Charlie’s scream echoed Ashley’s own yell as he fell to the ground. Charlie yanked out of Kate’s grip as Kate cried after her. Charlie’s path was cut off by another monster who descended onto Ashley, tearing into his stomach. Two more monsters added to the frenzy.

Blood in the dark looked black as it poured out of Ashley, his screams turning to gurgling chokes before stuttering off into silence. Kate had managed to grab Charlie around the middle, all the while as Victoria laid down cover fire. The sound of the RV door banging open made all three women jerk their heads up. Ben stood in the door way, a cut on his bald head bleeding down into his eye. Behind him Olivia stood, her red hair glinting in the darkness.

“Olivia!” Kate screamed over the chaos. “Ben!”

Their heads snapped towards the small group and they jumped out of the RV, immediately getting cut off by a group of the undead. They were lost in the crowd. Both Kate and Charlie were screaming, tears falling into their mouths and tasting of salt. Finally Victoria was able to jerk them out of their shock and the three fought their way towards the horses, Kate in the middle while Charlie slashed in a rage at the monsters coming towards them, Victoria popping off rounds into the skulls with deadly accuracy.

They reached the horses and Charlie scrambled onto Annie while Kate clambered onto Percy. Once she had her feet in the stirrups she reached down to pull Victoria up after her. Victoria screamed and was jerked away from Kate as Percy reared up, one of the rotting creatures had a hold of her leg, it’s guts spilling out of it’s body where it had been cut in half, dragging itself along the ground to clamp onto Victoria’s leg. Percy calmed down for a moment and Victoria reached towards Kate, her large blue eyes terrified for the first time. Kate grabbed onto her with all her might, Victoria’s nails digging into her forearm. She pulled with all she could but not before she watched, in what seemed like slow motion, the foul monster sink it’s teeth into Victoria’s calf.

“No!” Kate cried as Victoria screeched in pain. With a final tug Kate dislodged the beast and pulled Victoria onto Percy behind her. She searched for an opening as Percy spun around in fear, finally she spotted one and with a nod at Charlie to know she had seen it too they took off. They rode for what seemed like hours, until the screams died away and the terror was turned into fatigue. Her muscles ached and she could feel Percy shuddering beneath her. After a long time of hard riding her heart finally began to slow down and then it was all she could do to keep her eyes open and keep Percy steered in the right direction.

Finally Victoria’s hold on her waist let up and she would have slipped off if Kate had not reached behind to steady her as she pulled Percy to a stop. Charlie pulled up Annie next to them.

“What’s wrong?”

“Victoria—was bit.” Kate choked out, as Charlie turned her eyes in horror to the chunk of flesh missing from their friend’s leg. Kate slid out of the saddle, holding her arms out to Victoria who managed to dismount, but stumbled as soon as she tried to put weight on her injury. Kate caught her and turned to lay her against the trunk of an oak tree. She grabbed a rag out of the stocked saddle bags that they kept on the horses in case of an emergency like this. She wiped at Victoria’s damp forehead, by the light of the moon Kate could tell that Victoria’s skin was deathly pale. Her full lips were the same color as her white skin and her baby blue eyes were blood shot and unfocused.

Charlie knelt next to her, pulling the bottle of water out of her pocket and handing it to Kate, who tried to tip it gently into Victoria’s mouth. A surprisingly strong hand stopped her from pouring the water in to Victoria’s mouth. “No.”

“You have to drink, we have to keep you hydrated.” Kate managed to get out around her tear clogged voice.

“No, you—you know—know what you have—have-h—have—to do.” Victoria panted out, her eyes rolling backwards.

Kate gripped her hand in the gold locks of hair at the base of Victoria’s neck and leaned her forehead against Victoria’s fever-heated one. Charlie had grabbed one of Victoria’s hands, while Victoria’s other hand was gently placing her gun in Kate’s. “I can’t,” Kate moaned, tears spilled out of her eyes and splashed onto Victoria’s face. Kate could hear Charlie sniffling next to them, her arm around Kate.

“Please, I need---don’t want—to be—I don’t—please…Kate,” her breath rattled against Kate’s cheek and she was gone.

“Nononono,” Kate curled her hand around the gun’s handle before punching her fist into the oak behind Victoria’s head. She leaned back on her haunches, scrubbing her arm over her face. “Ch—Charlie?”

Charlie shook her head, pulling back. “I can’t.”

“Neither can I!” Kate screamed in despair, her voice cracking with strain.

“Kate, you have to be quiet.”

“You can’t ask me to do this!” Kate wailed in anger, her voice pleading as tears continued to stream down her dirty face, her dark brown hair stuck to her cheeks and in her mouth where she couldn’t care to remove it.

“I’m not asking you. She did,” Charlie’s eyes moved over to Victoria’s now lifeless body slouched against the tree.

Kate’s eyes turned back to her friend, whose blue eyes stared off in the distance, unseeing. Kate choked on another sob, holding the gun in her hands, the barrel smeared with blood but still the metal glinted in the starlight. Charlie smoothed a hand through Kate’s hair and down her back, centering her friend. Kate looked to Charlie, whose solemn hazel eyes found hers and nodded once. Kate crawled forwards again so that her body was pressed up next to the tree; she turned so that she could cradle Victoria to her. She pulled the body’s back to her chest, pressing her cheek to the top of her head for a brief moment. She squeezed her eyes shut before opening them, taking a deep breath and kissing Victoria’s cheek, where blood and sweat still lingered.

She put the gun against her temple, the metal heavy in her hand; the heaviest thing she thought she’d ever held. She clicked the hammer back, just as she’d been taught, briefly flicking her eyes towards the safety, stupid since she knew it was off, but having had it drilled into her head by Victoria on their several target practice lessons. At the brief flash of memory Kate closed her eyes, her finger finding the trigger. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her lips tracing the words onto soft, golden hair. The sound of the blast rang in her ears, the feeling of Victoria’s warm blood splattered on her neck and shirt. The body jerked once against her before becoming still again. Kate pressed her face into the hair of her friend, sobbing into her shoulder before she felt Charlie’s gentle hands on her.

When she looked up Charlie was tugging on her. Kate released Victoria’s body without much fight, in too much shock to really hold on. “Come on Kate, we have to go. The Roamers probably heard that shot, we have to find somewhere safe.” She realized Charlie had probably been repeating this to her for a few moments.

“Safe…” Kate echoed, dazed as she looked back at her friend from atop Percy, not sure how she got up there. As they rode away, the only think Kate could think was that they’d had no time to bury her.

***

                Kate wiped her eyes while she was stared down; tracing the pattern of a sunflower again and again on the blanket they were sitting on. For a few moments it was quiet except for the sounds of her sniffling. She could hear Daryl shifting on his side of the blanket but she couldn’t bring herself to look up at him.

                The sound of rustling bushes made Kate snap her head up and turn to the place where Daryl had wiped his blood earlier. Sure enough, the foliage was moving, an inevitable sign of approaching corpses. Daryl and Kate sprang to their feet and moved forward a few paces away from their blanket. Daryl picked up his loaded crossbow, holding it loosely down by his side. Kate pulled her knife from it’s sheath, holding it gingerly in her sweating hand.

                Two snarling walkers stepped out of the bushes and turned towards the prey standing in the middle of the clearing. When their milky eyes found Kate she took a hesitant step backwards, her back smashing up against Daryl’s chest. He put a strong hand on her shoulder to brace her as the Walkers started stumbling towards them.

                “Aim between the eyes, if ya’ think ya’ can’t get it that way go for the temple.” His voice was right in her ear as he crouched, his breath tickling the side of her neck.

                She nodded her head, repositioning her grip on the knife. Before the two walkers came towards her another two emerged from the tree line. She couldn’t help the squeak of fear that escaped from her. She cleared her throat and widened her stance as the first walker lurched towards her. She took a step forward away from the safety of Daryl’s heat behind her, and slashed at the creature. The monster grabbed her upper arm in a vice like grip when she missed her mark, the blade a few inches from the creature’s rotting skull.

                The grip of the monster’s hand had her wrestling to get him off of her. She twisted to the side, using the knife to hack away at the appendage. Black blood sprayed out at her as she ducked to avoid teeth that clicked together next to her ear. She finally managed to break from the monster’s grip; feeling pieces of flesh come off onto her sweater. Without thinking she spun and drove her knife into it’s skull. It sunk to it’s knees as she kicked it in the chest to release her blade. She turned to flash a smile at Daryl, who was watching her with a hard expression.

                The next monster approached her, it’s spindly fingers brushing her braid that fell down the side of her chest. She twisted her shoulders to the side so that the zombie stumbled into her path. With a quick slice of her knife she managed to catch it on the side of it’s head, pressing as hard as she could before the blade pierced the dead woman’s skull and she dropped to the ground with a thud. Before she could turn she felt something grab onto the back of her cardigan and pull her backwards.

                She got an upside down view of a man’s rotted face, the skin hanging in folds, it’s rancid breath filled her nose as it leaned over her, teeth grazing the tender flesh of her neck. She screamed. The twang of the crossbow did not even register to Kate before an arrow found itself lodged in the side of the monster’s head. Kate yanked herself out of it’s grip, her heart pounding in her ears and her entire body shaking. She reached a hand up to her neck, where she could feel the slime of it’s toxic saliva on her neck. She realized that she had dropped her knife somewhere in the struggle.

                Daryl had come up beside her, he toed the corpse over, bending down and picking up her hunting knife, flipping it so that he was holding the blade; he held it out to her. She took it with a shaking hand. There was one walker left; it’s rasping snarls getting steadily closer. Kate sidled up to Daryl, her entire body vibrating with adrenaline.

                “C’mon, last one.” Daryl whispered to her, grabbing the knife that she was holding. With his arm extended alongside her own and his chest pressed close against her Kate relaxed marginally, widening her stance again and preparing for their last enemy with a determined nod. The woman had stringy black hair that hung like a bamboo curtain around her face.

                “Grab onto a chunk of tha’ hair.” Daryl instructed his voice a steady rumble in his chest that reverberated through Kate’s body down her arm. She reached her hand out and took a hold of the greasy, tangled mat of hair. She yanked the head of the approaching walker back, exposing a rotted throat. Daryl and her stepped forward in sync, and with the added guidance of his hand on hers, shoved the blade into the bottom of her neck, the long blade reaching into the brain cavity. The flailing arms of the monster dropped lifelessly and they stepped back, yanking out the knife as the corpse fell at their feet.

                They stood panting like that for a moment, Daryl’s hand still curled around hers, as they surveyed the four corpses around them. “I did it,” Kate panted triumphantly, smiling mostly to herself. Suddenly she was spun around, met with fierce blue eyes which where raking over her body. He shoved the cardigan off her shoulders. She blinked in confusion before she followed his gaze down to where his hands were inspecting the skin of her upper arm.

                “I’m not scratched.” She informed him.

                He ignored her, his fingers gliding up her arms and grabbing hold of her chin, tilting her face to up and to the side, exposing her throat. She swallowed nervously at the intensity of his eyes raking up and down her throat, her heart thrumming under his grip. She hoped he would just account it to adrenaline. Apparently satisfied that she had come away unharmed he let go of her and turned away, bending down to retrieve his arrow with a squelching sound that made her stomach roll.

                “So that’s it?” She questioned, slightly baffled at the lack of instruction, though she figured she shouldn’t be too surprised. Daryl hadn’t really come off as the nurturing-teacher type. She should have guessed that his teaching method would be more along the lines of: see what she can do and hope she doesn’t die doing it…practice makes perfect.

                Daryl didn’t respond to her, instead he wadded up the blanket and started towards the horses, Kate following quietly behind. “Is that all? I mean…we could stay out here for a bit longer. It can’t be that late…” Kate trailed off as she fiddled with a loose piece of leather on Percy’s saddle.

                She felt something cool against her arm and turned to see Daryl was pressing her revolver against it. She realized she must’ve left it on the blanket. She smiled in thanks and tucked it into the back of her shorts.

                “Gotta git back. Those clouds mean rain.” He nodded his head towards the horizon where Kate spotted the dark grey clouds that were moving swiftly across the afternoon sky.

                “Right.” Kate said, mounting up without further discussion.

                The ride back to the prison was quiet, the sun slowly beginning to lower down as they approached, finally engulfed by the ominous clouds. As soon as the prison gates came into the sights the winds picked up in an awful howl and a sharp burst of thunder had Percy skittering to the side. She smoothed a hand down his shoulder and whispered kindly to him as he resettled. When she looked up she could see Daryl watching her, she gave him a timid smile in the growing darkness.

                Tyreese let them in and they moved off to the stables, the grounds were abandoned due to the impending storm. She watched Tyreese hurrying up the walk towards the buildings as it began to sprinkle. They untacked the horses quickly in silence. As soon as Kate managed to drag a tarp over the saddles so they wouldn’t get water damaged the sky opened up and the rain began to come down so hard she could barely see in front of her. Immediately she was as drenched as if she had just jumped in a lake. She could hear Daryl cursing near her as they trudged through the mud towards the exit of the pen. They began to cross the field towards the prison. Kate took out her braid, running her fingers through her tangled brown hair. The cool rain was washing way the blood and other various bits of grime that had accumulated on her during their outing.

                She shook her head side to side like a wet dog shaking off water, peeling off her cardigan and tying it around her waist. She could feel Daryl’s eyes on her despite the darkness. She rubbed her arms vigorously until she could see that they were clean. She ran her hands over her neck and chest, washing away the saliva of the walker that had almost gotten her. A loud clap of thunder made her jump slightly, her shoulder bumping into Daryl. He looked down at her with a quirked eyebrow and she began to laugh. The water seemed to elevate something in her. She felt as clean and refreshed as she had with that first shower in the prison.

                She spotted a puddle a few steps ahead. Taking a bit of a skipping start she jumped, slamming both feet down in the puddle, laughing gloriously as mud splattered up her calves. She turned behind her to see Daryl watching her with a mildly amused expression on his face. She shrugged her shoulders, scanning the ground in front of her as he came nearer. When he was a step away she jumped, long legs stretching forward. She landed in another puddle, her laughter ringing out of her so strong she couldn’t stop it if she wanted.

                She made to hop to another puddle just as a hand closed around her bicep. They were only a few paces from the fences. She could hear the patter of the rain on the pavement, a musical sound that made her feel giddy. She turned to Daryl, who had managed to snag her arm with a pout.

                “What?”

                “What’re ya’ doing?” He asked gruffly, his voice confused more than anything else.

                She shrugged. “Jumping in puddles. What’s it look like?”

                “Yer gettin’ yerself all muddy is what it looks like.”

                She followed his gaze down to her now mud flecked legs. “The rain’ll wash it off.” She smiled up at him, as if it made all the sense in the world.

                When their eyes connected her breath hitched. She hadn’t noticed how close they’d been standing. Although his hand was only loosely grabbing her arm she felt a shock jolt through her. Judging by the sudden almost panicked look in Daryl’s eye he felt it too. Kate’s mouth fell slightly open as Daryl took a step closer, dropping her arm to push her damp hair off her face, tangling his fingers in the dark locks at the base of her neck. She reached up and tentatively laid her hands against his chest, stretching up on her tiptoes so that their faces were even, never breaking eye contact.

                She tilted her head slightly, his blue eyes holding a question. She let her eyes flicker down to his lips, which were marginally parted like hers. She was so close she could see water droplets collecting in the hair on his chin. She glanced back up at him from underneath her eyelashes, giving him a shy smile and curling her fingers into his leather vest.

                He moved his head forwards, slowly, until their lips brushed in the gentlest of contact. He breathed into her mouth softly before pulling his head back, but she followed his movements, unsatisfied with the briefness of the kiss. Her hands pulled on his vest until he bent down to capture her lips again, this time lingering for a few moments, his fingers releasing her hair to grab onto the back of her neck, his other hand coming up to grip her hip bone and pull  her towards him as he deepened the kiss.

                Kate slid her arms around his neck, dragging him down towards her. She ran her tongue along his chapped lips lightly, testing the waters.

                “Kate?” She heard her name over the chaos of the storm and as quickly as she had been enveloped in Daryl’s arms she was released. She practically stumbled with surprise at how abruptly Daryl moved away from her, turning away and pushing past the person who had interrupted them.

                “Hey Charlie,” Kate greeted as she walked towards her friend, grateful for the darkness of the storm, so that Charlie couldn’t see her cheeks burning red.

                “Are you fucking kidding me?” Charlie grated out as Kate approached, shoving her arm as she fell into step next to her.

                Kate pushed some of her wild, wet hair out of her face and turned to Charlie as they walked inside. “What?”

                “I’m worried sick about you all damn afternoon and I have to find out from Rick that you went gallivanting off with Mr. Dark and Mysterious. Then, to top it all off I hear your back and come outside to find you in said Mr.’s arms lip-locking!” Charlie was basically screeching as they entered into the main room. Because of the rain dinner had been relocated to the common room; meaning, as soon as they crossed the threshold all eyes were on them.

                Kate scanned the crowd until she found the person she was looking for. Daryl was standing on the other side of the room, as soon as his blue eyes made contact with her he covertly slipped out down into the catacombs before everyone’s gaze could find him. Kate grabbed Charlie by the arm and dragged her through the crowd until they reached her room at the very end of the hall. They crashed through the blue curtain before Kate bodily forced Charlie to sit down on the bed.

                “Got a problem?” She snapped.

                “Yeah! You and Dixon. Shouldn’t be happening.” Charlie glared at her best friend, who just quirked her lips into a mocking smile.

                “Someone jealous?”

                “Don’t pull that bullshit Kate, we aren’t in high school any more. I don’t want to steal your boyfriend.”

                “He’s not my boyfriend.”

                “Well then what the hell was that? Kate, we barely know these people. It’s the goddamn end of the world. I know he got us out of a bit of a bind but he’s not your knight in shining armor. You’re engaged for Christ sakes!”

                Kate threw the pillow from the top bunk at Charlie. “Shut up! The last time I saw Liam was almost two years ago! He’s dead for all I know!” Kate let the tears that had been building behind her eyes come pouring out. “Besides, I don’t even think Daryl means anything by it.”

                Charlie scoffed. “I always knew you were a bit blind Kate, but everyone sees the way he looks at you. Like a piece of meat, like he’s a wild animal waiting to devour you. No pun intended.”

                “It’s not like that. He would never do anything to me that I didn’t want.”

                Charlie snatched Kate’s wrists to stop her from pacing around in the small space. “It’s just been you and me for so long Kate.”

                Kate reached up to cup Charlie’s cheek. “I know Charlie. But these are good people. Do you trust me?” Kate’s multicolored eyes found Charlie’s hazels and held them seriously.

                After a moment Charlie deflated some and nodded.

                “And I trust them. Shouldn’t that be enough for you?”

                “It is! But you left today—“ Charlie’s voice cracked and Kate could see her eyes begin to shimmer in a way she had only seen a few times in the long years they’d been friends. Kate collapsed on the bunk next to Charlie, slinging an arm around her shoulder and pushing her cheek into Charlie’s hair.

                “It’s you and me. I promise I’d never leave you. Nothing is going to happen to me. Nothing is going to happen to you.”

                Kate felt a hot tear fall onto her thigh. She rocked her friend softly for a few moments before Charlie broke away from Kate’s grip. Kate let her hand fall away without a fight, knowing Charlie was finished.

                “You and me.”

                Kate nodded and then smiled. “I guess now would be a bad time to tell you I’m going on that run to Wal-Mart in a few days…”

                Charlie mock punched her shoulder and both of the young women broke into laughter. “At least you’ll have your guard dog with you.”

                “Jack?” Kate giggled.

                Charlie just shoved her over onto her side, Kate falling without resistance, both of the women continuing to laugh freely.


	12. Quivering Hearts

**Chapter Twelve**

_Quivering Hearts_

Kate threw two empty duffle bags into the back seat of the SUV with a huff.

“You alright there?” Glenn asked from the crate he was sitting on a few feet away. He popped another few bullets into the gun he was holding, not looking up at her.

“Fine.” Kate answered between her teeth, turn to lean against the side of the car. She propped her foot up behind her on the tire.

“She’s just frustrated because everyone’s favorite redneck has been avoiding her,” Maggie’s teasing voice came from the open door of the backseat which she was leaning out of.

Glenn looked up from the gun he was putting back together to quirk an eyebrow at Kate, who turned her head before he could make eye contact. Her fingers bit into the soft flesh of her biceps, where her arms were crossed over her chest. She stood stiffly, her foot tapping rapidly against the tire, attempted to stay moving to keep the biting chill of the air out of her skin. Her eyes fixed out on the field beyond, where she could see Charlie patrolling the perimeter with Michonne.

The creak of a door opening made her head snap towards the sound. Daryl stepped out into the sun, crossbow strapped to his back. “Let’s get this show on the road!” He barked as he came towards them, swinging the car keys around on his finger.

Kate walked around to the back of the car, helping Glenn load the rest of the weapons and empty bags for supplies into the trunk. Closing the trunk with a sharp bang she skipped past Glenn towards the front passenger side of the green SUV. “Shotgun!” She called with a smile as she flitted past Glenn, knocking his shoulder playfully as she went. As she opened the door to get in Glenn shoved her gently in retaliation. She laughed as she hopped into the front seat; Glenn shook his head good naturedly before climbing into the back with his wife.

Kate buckled her seatbelt before looking up to find Daryl staring at her. “What?” She snapped, her buoyant attitude draining quickly out of her. Without answering her Daryl passed over his crossbow which had been resting in his lap. She grabbed it with both hands, surprised by how heavy it really was. She placed it gently between her legs, resting the back end of it on the floor of the car, letting the curved front part rest over her knees.  She could feel Daryl’s eyes on her for a moment more before he turned the key and started the engine. They rolled down to the gates where Carl was waiting to let them through. He tipped his hat at them as they drove past. They rumbled over the bridge and quickly disappeared through the tree line.

Kate leaned back in the seat, settling in for the drive that she figured was roughly going to take about half an hour. She could hear Glenn and Maggie talking quietly in the back seat. The front of the vehicle was quiet, nothing but the sounds of the gently cruising engine and debris beneath the tires. Kate stared out the front window, determined to ignore the driver of the car. After a few minutes though, she began to get restless and her eyes began to wonder. They kept drifting over to Daryl, only to snap back whenever she caught herself. He was leaning nonchalantly back in his seat, more relaxed than Kate had probably ever seen him. He drove with his wrist over the steering wheel, to keep it steady, his fingers tapping out some pattern onto the front of the dash board. His other arm was resting against the window, his elbow on the sill, his fingers sticking out the cracked window.

Kate folded her arms over her chest and sunk down deeper into her chair, shifting the crossbow so that she could prop her feet up on the dash. Daryl slid his eyes over to her at the movement, but she flicked her eyes forward, sighing heavily (not for the first time.)

“What’s wrong with you?” He asked, his gravelly voice dripping with annoyance at her shuffling and groaning.

“I’m mad at you. I thought that was obvious.” She snorted, turning her head to finally meet him eye to eye for the first time in a few days. Her eyes were narrowed and her jaw was set in steely determination. The couple in the back seat stopped their whispering.

“Whatcha mad for?” Daryl grunted, turning away from her gaze to watch the road, but she continued to stare at him; scoffing derisively at his question.

“You know why.” She managed to bite out eventually. The anger in her voice was like a hive of fire ants, not enough to really hurt, but sure as hell getting under your skin.

“Sorry.” Daryl snapped, his crystal eyes sliding over to her, the corner of his mouth quirked in a mocking smirk.

“I’m not having this conversation right now.” She informed him with finality, her voice sharp enough to cut marble.

“I said I was sorry,” Daryl growled back, his voice rumbling like a rockslide down a mountain. She could practically feel the vibration of his uncomfortable irritation.

The side of her lips twitched upwards in faint amusement at the almost childish grumbling. “If you really mean that you can say it when we get home.” She allowed. “Not when we are possibly going to our deaths.”

Daryl turned his head to look at her, his mouth slightly parted as if he was about to speak. She raised an eyebrow in challenge. He snapped his mouth shut and snorted through his nose, gazing back over the road in front of them, before shifting in his seat to grab the wheel in both hands. Kate smiled lightly to herself in triumph before flicking her eyes in the rearview mirror where she made eye contact with both Glenn and Maggie, who quickly diverted their gazes.

Kate leaned her head against the closed window. She pulled her bare legs up against her chest and wrapped her sweater around them as best she could, goosebumps speckling her legs from Daryl’s open window. She subtly tried to warm her legs, rubbing her hands up and down them slowly, to stubborn to ask Daryl to roll up his window. After a few minutes of sitting stock still except for her arms moving to warm her, her body relaxed at the mechanic sound of the window being rolled up. She glanced over at Daryl, who was staring straight ahead, his left hand returning to the steering wheel where he gripped it firmly. She tilted her mouth in a small smile at him, even though she was sure he was directly avoiding looking at her. She stretched her legs out and sat up straighter in her seat, looking out the window again.

She didn’t know how long it was before the tree line broke into a stretch of stores on either side of the road. She leaned forward in her seat, scanning both sides of the street, until she found the familiar blue sign. “There it is.” She pointed excitedly. Daryl turned the car and they rolled slowly into the parking lot. Everyone hopped out of the vehicle, Kate shivered as a cold blast of wind greeted her, she was eternally grateful that after this run she would hopefully have some pants to wear. Glenn went around the back to pop the trunk. Everyone followed behind him. Kate hopped up onto the tail gate, letting her legs swing back and forth, toes grazing the asphalt beneath her.

“So…how does this work?” She asked, her eyes scanning the parking lot. Nothing moved except a few pieces of decaying trash that fluttered across the blacktop.

“Glenn and Maggie’ll hit the bridal store,” Daryl nodded in the direction of a sign a few stores down from the Wal-Mart they were parked in front of. “Kate and I’ll hit the Wal-Mart.”

“Daryl,” Kate chided. “Maggie and Glenn can’t go to the bridal store _together_.” She rolled her eyes at his confused look.

“Why not?”

“Because then Glenn will see Maggie’s dress.”

Daryl sighed through his nose, before looking over to Maggie and Glenn who both shrugged. “Fine. I’ll go with Maggie to the damn store. You and Glenn start gathering supplies; we’ll meet up with you after we’re done. Shouldn’t take long—“

Kate snorted.

He narrowed his eyes at her before spitting on the ground, to which she responded by wrinkling her nose. “If you run in to any trouble fire a shot into the air. Don’t seem like there’s many geeks ‘round but Maggie and I’ll come runnin’.”

Glenn nodded and began to pass out the weapons. They each took a gun, a knife, and Glenn grabbed an extra rifle, slinging it across his back before readjusting his baseball cap on his head. Daryl loaded his crossbow before tucking the handgun Glenn handed him into the back of his pants. He walked over to Kate, who was bent over her Wesson, checking how many bullets she had. She looked up when she felt him near her.

“Be safe.” He grunted, looking at the ground.

She smiled lightly. “You too.”

He nodded distractedly before reaching up as if to touch her face. His hand hesitated near her neck and she moved her head, pressing her cheek into his hand. He dropped his arm and moved away, gently grabbing Maggie by the shoulder, who had just finished breaking away from a hug with Glenn.

Glenn and Kate watched the two for a moment before Glenn turned on his heel. “Let’s do this.”

Kate nodded and they both reached for an empty duffle bag, slinging the long strap over their shoulders. She unsheathed her knife, turning towards the entrance. A few overturned blue shopping carts stood in their way and they moved them as quietly as they could. When they finally cleared a path Kate reached for the handle but Glenn grabbed her wrist and shook his head. Instead he used the butt of his gun to bang on the plexiglass. The sound reverberated in the silence and they waited tensely for a moment.

Suddenly a rotted hand slapped against the glass and Kate sprung backwards nearly tripping over a discarded cart, her heart jumped into her throat, blood rushing in her ears. “You ready?” Glenn asked, turning to look back at her. She righted herself and readjusted her grip on her knife like Daryl had shown her those few days ago in the field.

“Yeah.” She panted.

Glenn slid the door open quietly, automatically piercing the skull of the Walker which had been attempting to gnaw on the window, leaving dark blood streaks. Kate followed closely behind the man as they entered the dark store. “Flashlights,” Glenn prompted. Two beams of light clicked on and surveyed the store. The big bay windows in the front let the sunlight stream in but they knew the further back they went the harder it would be to see. “Alright, you go to the right, I’ll go left. You know what we need, right?”

“You mean we’re splitting up?” Kate’s strangled whisper echoed in the silence of the store.

Glenn nodded. “The quicker we get this done, the better. Scream if something happens. I won’t be far, promise.”

After a moment Kate managed to nod her head. Glenn squeezed her bicep. “Good luck. We’ll meet in the back and hit the storage together. Hopefully it won’t be as picked through as the front.”

With that he slunk off. Kate stood for a few moments, staring at the blood left behind by the zombie near the entrance, which slid slowly down the glass, glinting in the sunlight. She finally found the will to move her feet and took off in the opposite direction as Glenn. The first thing she came across was a counter, behind which there was a looted cigarette case. Kate grinned to herself before hopping over the counter. She landed somewhat ungracefully on the other side, her foot kicking some of the broken glass, which tinkled as it moved across the floor. Kate froze, her breath caught in her throat, expecting at any moment for an undead corpse to pop out of somewhere.

When none appeared after a few moments she relaxed her shoulders and grabbed for what she had spotted. She cleared the case of what she wanted before climbing back over the counter and making her way over the main floor. To her right she saw what used to be the produce, the buzzing of flies over the rotted fruits and vegetables made her skin crawl and she turned away from it, heading towards the center floor where clothes lay scattered about on the floor, many having been torn from the hangers. She picked through the clothing, finding anything that was suitable winter wear, folding it as tightly as she could and shoving it into the duffle strapped across her. After a few minutes of the stillness she finally adjusted, the adrenaline receding in the calm. For a while she was allowed to pretend that she was just on a shopping trip. She picked out a few pairs of jeans, debating over sizes before finally grabbing a whole shelf and shoving it into the bag, hoping everyone would be able to find something. She shoved jackets and shirts in as well as a few pairs of sturdy leather gloves that she found under an overturned shelving structure. She grabbed underwear and socks for women before moving onto the men’s side where she repeated the process.

She grabbed a few belts in case some pants didn’t fit. As she attempted to stuff another shirt into her quickly over flowing bag, she looked up spotting a black leather jacket, peeking out between a few shirts. She took her duffle off of her and walked over to the rack that it was hanging from, jerking it off the hanger so hard it flipped around the metal rung and fell to the floor. She held the smooth leather between her fingers before smiling and slipping it on over her cardigan and red tank top. It fit her arms perfectly, but was a bit baggy in the waist, the cloth spandex hugging her tight around her hips. It even had a hood.

She bent down to pick up her duffle so that she could swing it over her new jacket when something glinted, catching her eye. A pair of shoes hung low from a metal rung that was supposed to be for underwear. She walked over to the black boots, which had two golden buckles and a zipper on the inside of them. She picked them up and turned them over, glancing at the side. She couldn’t help but laugh when she read that they were her size. She toed off her Converses, which had frazzled into tatters. Her big toe stuck out of one of her dirty socks. She used her knife to pop off the bungee string that held boots together. She slipped them on and zipped them up; they reached just past her ankles, with a good grip on them and a sturdy toe. She rocked back and forth, feeling the supple leather around her feet. She walked a few paces around a clothing rack, they may blister her up a bit but they were comfortable. 

Proud of her finds she made her way towards the back, looping through the medical aisle where she didn’t find much but a few bottles of aspirin and cough syrup. She shrugged and stuffed them in a side pocket of her overflowing bag, the shoulder strap starting to wear into her neck. When she reached the back, Glenn was already leaning up against the door marked “employees only.” It was smeared in blood and had several two-by-fours, which someone had obviously taken time with, nailed to the frame. It was not a very good sign and it made her stomach roll over in anticipation. As she approached, he gave her a once over. “Nice get-up.” He commented with a smirk.

She twirled around with a smile, which he returned. “Find anything good?”

“Actually, yeah. A few cases of ammo. A couple hammers and nails. Some engine oil for the cars, always good to have on hand. Oh, and this.” He rummaged in his bag for a second before pulling out two giant handles of Jose Cuervo Gold. 

“No way!” She asked, grabbing for one of the glass bottles and holding it in her hands like she would cradle a child. “My friends and I used to get absolutely wasted on this stuff in college.”

“Right?” Glenn laughed. “Looks like we are going to have quite the wedding celebration after all!”

“Hell yeah!” Kate agreed, handing the tequila back.

Glenn went to gently place them back in his duffle.  

“Maybe they’ll be better off in my bag, I mean, all I’ve really got is clothes. Good padding.” Kate patted the side of her duffle.

Glenn smirked at her. “Not going to hog it all to yourself are you?”

“I was thinking about it,” Kate winked before they both dropped their bags to the ground, and unzipped them. They spent a few minutes passing items back and forth, shuffling things around until the alcohol was wrapped up tight in clothing and some of Kate’s finds were transferred to Glenn’s bag to make room.

When they both had their bags situated on their shoulders again, they looked at each other, the atmosphere turning serious again. “Ready?” Glenn asked.

Kate spun her knife around in her hand with a cocky grin, no longer as cold and miserable as she had been in the past few days with her broken down shoes and worthless clothing, with the promise of a hot meal and new clothes once she got home she was actually excited for whatever lay ahead. A new found confidence ran through her veins, adrenaline caused by the thought of a fight instead of the thought of death. “Let’s do it.”

Glenn raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment of Kate’s enthusiasm. He handed her a hammer and they went to work on opposite sides of the door, prying the nails out of the wood. When the last nail fell onto the ground with a _ping_ they looked at each other, wiping their brows from the exertion. After a nod of confirmation from Kate he pushed the door open, knife held at the ready. Kate followed closely behind him, her hand ghosting over the spot between his shoulder blades, ready to warn him if something happened. The room they found themselves in was practically pitch black. Suddenly, the confidence that Kate was feeling drained out of her as if a plug had been pulled. She backed up and pressed herself against the wall near the door. Something poked her in the back and she almost screamed, could feel it building up inside her. She reached behind her, to realize that all it had been was a light panel. She flicked it on, not really sure why, possibly just out of habit.

The silence was broken by a dull hum, which had Glenn flicking his flashlight back around from where he’d been exploring a box a few feet way. She shrugged in return before both of them were incapacitated by a bright flash. The lights had cut on, long rows of florescent lighting lit up along the ceiling about 20 feet above them, slowly blinking on one by one as far back as Glenn or Kate could see.

“Woah,” Glenn breathed, putting his hands behind his head.

Kate clicked her flashlight off and shoved it in her jacket pocket, strolling over to Glenn. “I’d say. We could be set for a very long time with all the shit that’s in here.”  
                “We’re gonna need to go on another run.”

“Another hundred runs.” Kate observed.

Glenn could only nod his head in awe.

Kate ran off, towards the rows and rows of shelving that stretched all the way up to the ceiling. There were boxes and wooden crates stacked all along the wired shelves. “Kate, what are you doing?” She heard Glenn call behind her.

“Exploring! Come on! This place is untouched!” She heard his foot steps behind her and she slowed to a walk, her heart pounding from her short sprint. She was standing in the middle of the storage room, turning around and around on her heels, taking in the incredible treasure trove that they had stumbled upon. She stopped turning when Glenn caught up to her.

“This place is almost too good to be true,” he commented.

Kate reached over and pinched his arm.

“Ow!” He shoved her shoulder playfully before rubbing his bicep. “That hurt.”

“Means you’re not dreaming.” She shrugged in response.

“What do you think that is?” Glenn said, nodding his head over to where a bunch of crates and boxes were stacked in a circle about ten feet high.

Kate cocked her head as she observed the area. The shelving had been pushed aside to create room for the large circle of goods. A few had even been over turned, now resting on their sides, empty of anything they’d held before. “Let’s go find out.” The companions walked over to the strange phenomenon cautiously. The hum of the florescent lights above them started to give Kate a headache as she strained to listen for any enemies. They walked the perimeter quickly, Glenn a few steps ahead of Kate, who kept looking behind her as if waiting for something to begin to follow them, they had decided better safe than sorry. As well as the fact that Daryl and Maggie should be joining them shortly with more empty duffle bags that they could start loading up some of the canned goods in.

“Woah, sweet!” Glenn blurted from in front of her.

She turned the corner to see Glenn climbing up into the cab of a forklift. He tried the keys in the ignition and the engine turned over easily. The loud rumble vibrated through Kate’s boots and echoed around the cavernous room. “Glenn!” She called, but could not be heard over the ruckus of the engine. He had his back to her, the front spokes of the forklift facing away from where she was standing. “Glenn! Be careful!” Kate cautioned.

She had grown up around these kinds of equipment, her father’s construction company employed the use of them often and the barn she used to ride at as a child had used one to carry hay back and forth. She knew that they were temperamental even in the most experienced drivers’ hands. She had never been allowed on one as a child, though she had often asked her father for a ride. “ _They are not toys, Kate._ ” Her father’s warning echoed in her head.

She took a few steps forward, planning to caution Glenn the same way, knowing that the idea of a tempting new machine would be heaven for her easily excited friend. Before she could get to him the engine sputtered and the yellow vehicle jerked backwards about a foot, coughing black smoke out of its back end. Kate stopped a few feet away from it, waving her arm in front of her face to clear the air, coughing loudly. “Glenn! Turn it off!”

“I think I got it in first!” Glenn whooped excitedly.

Before Kate could move the forklift shot backwards another few feet, knocking Kate into the boxes and pinning her between the metal and wood. She felt the crate behind her crack in the impact as the wind was knocked out of her, her duffle bag slipping off her shoulder and sliding away. She gasped for breath, pushing backwards to try and get away from in between the machine and storage containers.

“Shit! Kate!” Glenn hopped off the forklift and ran around the side towards where Kate was pinned. Suddenly a loud groan caused both of them to look up.

“Glenn,” she wheezed. “Move!”

Glenn dived out of the way just as the wall of boxes wavered and toppled, crashing to the ground, spilling clothes, tools, canned goods, and other items all over the place, creating a mountain of rubble. Glenn had managed to throw himself back into the forklift, its roof providing him coverage from the falling containers. Kate was not so lucky. The boxes crashed around her in a roar, she felt herself fall backwards as the crate she was pinned against collapsed under the weight. Kate heard a creak and looked up just in time to see a box with a picture of a dresser on the outside, before her world went dark.

When she groggily came around it was to a sound that made her blood run cold: the rasping voices of the dead. Her head was pounding and she reached up with a shaking hand, finding her other one was too heavy. Blood was gushing from the side of her head, and she looked over to notice her arm was pinned under something, as was her torso and legs. The only thing sticking out was her chest and head.

“Glenn!” A distorted voice called from somewhere that seemed very far in the distance.

She felt a hand on her head. “Daryl?” She asked dizzily, tilting her head back in its grasp, only to come face to face with snapping teeth. She attempted to scream but the influx of oxygen caused her only to make a wheezing sound. She grabbed it’s rotted skull with her free hand, attempting to hold it off, but her arm felt like jelly, her eyes going in and out of focus. She could see six blurry figures congregated around the bright yellow forklift. She hadn’t realized how yellow it was. She did not feel as scared as she thought she would at this impending death. Her hand slipped slightly, her thin, pale wrist coming dangerously close to the mouth of the monster crawling over her. The scent of the rotting flesh filled her nose but her stomach was already rolling with nausea.

Her hand finally slipped as her head lulled to the side, her eyelids fluttering closed. She felt the impact of something landing against her neck; she flinched marginally but did not feel her flesh tearing. She managed to force her eyes open, although everything was blurry, a bright light was casting a white shine over everything. She wondered if this was heaven.

“Kate!” She felt something being lifted off her and rough hands grabbed her face.

She blinked a few times as she attempted to register what was in front of her, expecting another undead human. Instead she focused on crystal blue eyes, broken up by strands of brown hair. She reached her now bloodied hand up and brushed the hair out of Daryl’s face, getting blood above one of his eyebrows. He smiled softly at her. “Gonna getcha out of here.”

She smiled sleepily, feeling safe with his hands cupping her full cheeks. She let her eyelids fluttered close, only to spring open again when Daryl shook her face gently. “Stay awake.” He commanded gruffly even as he moved away to start pulling the boxes off of her. When he lifted the shattered wooden box off of her arm, she let out a low moan, the smell of something salty swimming into the air.

“Jesus.” She heard Daryl ground out between his teeth. She let her head rolled over to the side and glanced down at her arm, which was clothed in her new leather jacket. Red liquid dripped from her fingers as he lifted her arm and she realized groggily that it must be blood. Shooting pains began to spring up her arm like electricity when he moved it and she groaned again as her stomach rolled.

“Hang in there.” Daryl demanded, his rough voice not leaving any room for argument. He hauled the boxes off of her lower body. Kate could hear the blasts of guns reverberating around her skull as Glenn and Maggie shot at Walkers as they climbed out of the rubble from the corral where they’d been stashed. One came too close for comfort to Kate, Daryl stretching out over top of her to stab it in the head in one fluid motion, pushing the body away. Kate watched detachedly as it tumbled down the small mountain of boxes.

“Can ya walk?” Daryl asked, climbing back up towards Kate’s head on his hands and knees, pushing pieces of hair that had come loose from her braid away from her face. She hadn’t even realized that the last of the boxes were off of her—her body was numb. She blinked dumbly at the concerned man crouching over her, not remembering how to speak. Her eyes fluttered closed again and she smiled, thinking that the last thing she would see was Daryl’s blue eyes. Good thing dying wasn’t painful.

Her eyes jerked open as she felt herself being lifted. Daryl had wedged his arm underneath her back and knees, jerkily standing up and readjusting her better in his arms. “That’s right.” She could feel the rumble of his voice vibrate against the side of her ribcage. “Stay awake.”

Her injured arm was hanging towards the ground, blood steadily pulsing out and down her fingers. She reached up and let her good arm hang around Daryl’s neck; her fingers stroked the collar of his button up once before falling limp. She rested her head against his shoulder as he began to make his way forward quickly. She could still hear the sound of the guns, with each blast she let a small moan slip out, her head pounding as if each bullet was lodging itself in her skull. She could feel blood running down the side of her face, matting her hair with the crimson liquid.

“M’bag,” she remembered suddenly, her voice nothing more than a whisper, although in her body her heart clenched and she meant to yell.

“Maggie got it.”

She brushed her index finger against his neck, underneath his jaw, where she could feel the sharp prick of his stubble. The sensation cleared her head for a moment as she fought to stay conscious. “’m ‘till mad at you.” She reminded him, her words coming out slurred and breathy.

“’Course ya’ are.” He agreed, though he sounded as if he was very far away.

She hummed contently, turning her face into his vest. And then her world went dark.

When she awoke she was staring up at the bottom of a bunk. She whimpered slightly as a pounding in her skull announced itself and she turned her head to the side, registering Charlie’s face from where she was sitting in a chair next to the bed Kate found herself in. Charlie half rose from the chair at the movement. She smiled, and Kate could see how relieved she looked.

“And the tables have turned.” Charlie joked, though there was no humor in her voice. She leaned forward, cupping the back of Kate’s head and pressing a water bottle to her lips. “Come on, drink, you’ve been out a while.”

Kate suckled down a few gulps of the water before pulling away. “How long?” She croaked, her voice raspy.

“Couple hours. You missed dinner.”

Kate looked past her friend into the corridor beyond the cell she was in.

“He went out to get something to eat.”

Kate turn to her friend again, her brows pulled together in confusion.

“Daryl.” Charlie elaborated with an eye roll. “Rick and I finally had to threaten him with physical violence if he didn’t leave to feed himself.”

“What?” Kate asked, holding a hand to her head and trying to sit up, which caused a wave of nausea to hit her. She slipped back down into the bed with a moan. She opened her eyes and noticed that her right arm was stitched together like Frankenstein’s monster. The black string went from about two inches above her wrist all the way up to her elbow.

Charlie followed her gaze. “You almost bled to death.” She informed her quietly.

“I’m sorry.”

“You would have too, if it had been just an inch lower. Hershel said it would have slit your wrists. You would’ve been dead in minutes.” Charlie continued, her voice accusing, as if not hearing her. Kate reached out with her right arm, her good arm, and tugged at Charlie’s pant leg, which was the only thing she could reach. Charlie got the hint and stopped talking. Kate tugged again, shuffling over on the bed some. Charlie climbed up next to her friend and laid down, putting her head on the pillow next to Kate’s. Kate watched her friend with a steady gaze as Charlie stared up at the bunk above them.

“You could have died. And I wouldn’t have been there.”

Kate pushed her face closer and nuzzled her nose in Charlie’s hair. “I’m sorry.”

Charlie slipped her arm under Kate’s head, kissing her on the forehead. Kate’s heart dropped into her stomach. If Charlie was showing this much outward affection things must have been pretty dire. “When they came back, I knew something immediately was wrong.” Charlie’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“How?” Kate asked, a small edge of amusement creeping into her voice.

“You weren’t sitting shotgun,” Charlie answered with a huff.

Kate snorted.

“When Daryl dragged you out of that back seat, I thought you were dead. You were covered in blood, _he_ was covered in blood. Rick had to hold me back. I was going to pummel that bastard into the ground.”

“It would never have been his fault.”

“Wouldn’t have stopped me.” Charlie declared.

“I know.” Kate hummed in reassurance.

“I could’ve taken ya’.” Came a voice from the entrance to the cell.

Charlie sat up quickly withdrawing her arm from around Kate.

“I interrupin’?” Daryl asked his eyes downcast on his boots.

“No.” Charlie answered. “I was just leaving. Make sure she drinks something.” With that Charlie slipped out; leaving Daryl and Kate staring silently at each other.

Finally Kate raised her eyebrow and Daryl stepped farther into the cell, coming over and perching gently on the side of the bed. Kate reached her hand up to stroke his cheek but he flinched away and she let her hand drop with a frown.

“I ain’t…I ain’t no good a’—“ He paused, pulling his lip through his teeth and staring so hard at the water bottle near Kate’s head that she was sure he was going to make it explode. “I ain’t no good a’ women.”

Kate struggled to try and sit up, but crumbled back down when her injured arm buckled under her. He reached out with lightening reflexes and caught her, lowering her gently back down onto the pillows before pulling his hands away quickly. “Quit that, ya’ gonna pull yer stitches.” His voice was thick with his southern drawl.

“I don’t want to have this conversation while I’m helplessly laying here.”

“Ya’ don’ wanna have this conversation at all.” He accused.

She narrowed her eyes at him but didn’t deny it.

“Tha’s the thing. I can’ do this…this thing. I can’t do whatcha want me to do. I can’t be whatcha need me to be.”

“And what is that?” Kate asked, her voice dripping with impatience, wax oozing from a long burning candle.

“Yer…boyfriend.” Daryl flicked his eyes to hers, to find that she had been staring at him steadily, and then quickly looked away again.

Kate outright laughed, a short bark that left her gasping for breath from her bruised ribs, but a laugh all the same. Daryl’s blue eyes trailed over to her again, confusion written in every line of his stiff figure.

“Daryl Dixon.” She started, getting her breath back. “Who in the world told you I wanted you to be my _boyfriend_?”

Daryl glanced down at his boots again.

“Look at me.” She coaxed like a gentle summer breeze, all the amusement and anger gone from her voice.

Daryl fixed his gaze on her.

“Who?”

“No one.” He gritted out.

“Don’t you go putting words in my mouth than.”

“Well that’s what you want, ain’t it?” It was his turn to sound angry, his sharp voice piercing the calm of the hospital cell with ice.

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“What’da mean, ya’ don’t know?”

“I mean: I don’t know. Things are different now. Society doesn’t really apply any more.”

Daryl rolled his shoulders in agreement but didn’t say anything.

“What do you want?” She prodded gently, nudging his thigh with her knee from under the blanket.

He looked down at the movement before gently tracing the angle of the joint of her knee with his finger in contemplation. Even through the blanket the feather light touch of his blunt nails sent jolts of electricity coursing through her. She struggled to keep her gaze on his face, though he was watching his own movements intently. He stopped suddenly, as if just having realized what he was doing and pulled his hand away.

“I don’ want ya’ thinkin’ I’m some sort of knight in shinin’ armor.”

Kate chuckled softly. “I don’t believe I could ever think that.”

Daryl shot her a look that seemed like he was almost offended by her comment.

“Just so you know, you kissed me.” She pointed out with an eyebrow raised, daring him to deny it.

He flinched at her bluntness. “’S not the point.”

“Then what is?” She challenged.

He shook his head like a dog trying to shake off cold water. “I don’ want ya’ thinkin’ I’m someone I’m not. ‘S all I’m sayin’.”

“And who are you, Daryl Dixon?” She turned her head to the side so that she could watch the flame dancing on the overturned crate next to the bed. She could feel his eyes on her, those deep pools of crystalline that sparkled with life like a lake in the sunshine. She looked back at him after what she thought was enough time for him to think. His face was stony, darkness danced behind the clear blue of his eyes.  Shadows flitted over his face from the candlelight, but at the same time it was like she was watching a play of deep obscurity dance across his features.

She swallowed thickly.

“I’m no good.” He growled with finality before standing abruptly. He paused at the curtain, his hand fisted in the cloth, ready to pull it back. “Drink some water.” And with that he stalked away, leaving Kate alone with her quivering heart.


	13. I Do (Only You)

**Chapter Thirteen**

_I Do (Only  You)_

                The big day had finally come. The common room was completely packed with almost everyone from the prison despite a few from Woodbury who had opted to take watch so that everyone else could participate. All the tables had been pressed against the concrete walls, leaving a large open space in the middle. A few flowers petals had been scattered on the ground, the last of the summer warmth lay out on the floor. The children sat in a tidy row with Kate sitting behind them, cradling Judith in her lap attempting to keep her occupied with a ring of keys that jingled quietly in the otherwise still atmosphere.

                Kate watched Rick shift awkwardly from foot to foot at one end of the room, his hands behind his back. Her gaze flicked over to Glenn who was looking down at his shoes looking for all the world like he was about to pass out from either excitement or nervousness—Kate concluded probably both. Definitely, though, the most uncomfortable person at the end of the room was the man standing just to the right and slightly behind the nervous groom.

Daryl’s eyes were focused on some unknown point a top everyone’s head on the other side of the room. He was the cleanest Kate had ever seen him, his tan skin free of any dust or grime, wearing what she assumed were his cleanest pair of jeans (still torn at the knees and blood-stained to boot.) His hair was not plastered to his face with sweat and grease, but instead showed its true colors as a soft brown, tucked partially behind his ears. She wondered how Maggie had convinced him to dress up so nice.

And he did look nice, sharp almost, in his deep blue button up, the long sleeves buttoned at the wrists and done up to the throat. He looked as if he couldn’t breath. Kate’s gaze was diverted by the sound of everyone shifting in their seats. Kate followed the crowd and saw Beth step out from one of the catacomb doors, walking down the stairs in a soft yellow dress. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, different from her signature ponytail and braid look. She was wearing her cowboy boots and holding a small bouquet of white weeds, but she looked as beautiful as any bridesmaid ever had.

Kate felt a small twinge of jealously, she had not worn a dress in almost two years. It was a ridiculous thing to be jealous about but she couldn’t help it. Beth just looked so darn pretty. She missed feeling like that, dressing up in heels and flowing skirts, her cheeks dusted with blush and hair curled to perfection. The red flannel shirt she was wearing did nothing to compare, nor did the fleece leggings she wore under a pair of jean shorts, tucked in at the ankle into her black boots with their shiny gold buckles.

Beth walked down the makeshift aisle (down the middle of the room was a more accurate description) blushing prettily as all eyes fell on her. When she reached the end of the room she glanced up at her brother-in-law, grabbing his shoulder and squeezing gently. Kate saw her eyes flicker over to Daryl, where Beth offered a small smile. Daryl’s lips twitched slightly in return, and Kate’s stomach rolled with jealousy again. She bit her lip hard, before tearing her gaze away to focus on the bride who had made her appearance.

She was wearing a simple cream colored silk dress, the tan of her skin blending perfectly with the milky shade. It had no adornments on it, spaghetti straps led to fabric that clung around her cleavage and flowed downwards. Kate had to give her props for going the simple and elegant route. She knew if it had been her in Maggie’s position no one could have talked her out of finding the most garishly princess-like dress she could find. Hershel was beaming proudly as he leaned against his daughter, hobbling down the aisle without his crutches.

He gave her away before Michonne stood to help him to a seat close by. Kate could see him dabbing his eyes with a dirty handkerchief that looked suspiciously like the one that usually occupied Daryl’s back pocket. Rick looked from Maggie to Glenn, offering a small smile. Kate scooted closer to Charlie, who was sitting next to her on the bench, bumping their shoulders together. At their feet sat both of their loyal dogs. Carl was on her other side, his hand twisted in the scruff of Jack’s fur. The two had become close since Kate and Charlie had first come to the prison and Kate was glad to allow Jack to follow Carl around more often than not, the sight reminding her of her own little brother with the dog. Taft remained loyally by Charlie’s side at all times.

Rick cleared his throat, allowing everyone a final shuffling movement before the room fell silent. He raised his eyes to glance around the room, making eye contact with what seemed like every single person. Everyone’s rapt attention was focused on him and the couple before him who stood holding hands.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate something that should never be forgotten: love. Love…” he paused, as if trying to find the words in the air. Everyone waited patiently for him to continue. “Love is the strongest force on this Earth. It was Before, and it will continue to be for a long time to come. Love is what binds us together, each and every person in this room. It’s what keeps us united against the horrors we face in this world. Love is what supports us when ones we care about are lost. It gives us purpose. It gives us strength. It gives us common ground. Every face I see here has such a capacity for love. I’ve seen it in each of you, whether it be family.” His blue eyes fell to his own son and then drifted up and over to his daughter in Kate’s arms.

“Whether it be friends.” His eyes did not have to stray far to find Kate and Charlie, whose arms were linked, before jumping over to the groomsman, himself, and the best man standing at his side.

“Whether it be another person to share the happy times and the painful ones with, a thing so much rarer than ever before. A kind of bond that Glenn and Maggie have been so lucky to find in each other, a light even in this dark world.”

Kate’s eyes were the ones seeking someone out this time, without her knowledge. It wasn’t until her eyes connected with blue ones that she even realized she had been searching for someone specifically. She drew in a practically silent breath before glancing down at the top of Judith’s soft head. She took a moment before looking back up, staring fixedly at Rick and the happy couple, refusing to move her eyes anywhere else.

“It is my hope that each and every person in this room finds happiness like Maggie and Glenn have found, whether it be here, with each other, or somewhere else. Maggie and Glenn have survived by being there for each other, a bond that everyone should learn from. In the face of evil your family will stand beside you, no matter if blood or chosen. We are all family here. That being said: with the power invested in me, by the King’s County Sheriff’s Department of Georgia, I hereby pronounce Maggie Greene and Glenn Rhee, united as man and wife. Glenn,” Rick smiled genuinely at the young man, clapping him on the shoulder. “You may kiss the bride.”

Glenn whooped happily before Maggie grabbed his face, his arms wrapping around her waist. Their lips met to the cheers of the people around them. Kate clapped Judith’s hands together, who obviously had no idea what was going on, but smiled with her four-toothed grin anyways. After they broke apart there was a long beat of awkwardness where everyone shifted around staring at each other, unsure how to proceed from that point.

“Everyone,” Rick called over the murmur of voices, which stopped abruptly at the sound of his voice. “If I’m correct, I think Kate said she had a surprise for everyone?”

Suddenly Kate felt all eyes on her. She nodded her head at Rick, the only gaze she felt she could make eye contact with, his lip twisted upwards in an encouraging smile. She handed Judith to Charlie, who took her somewhat hesitatingly, it having been the first time she’d held the child. Kate reached behind her, digging around in the red backpack she’d brought with her before pulling out the contraption.

“No way,” she heard Carl say from beside her who had been watching her closely, his eyes squinted in curiosity.

“Yes, way.” Kate grinned at him. “So, uh…I guess this could count as a wedding gift,” she said, holding up the spoils in her hands, looking first at Maggie, and then Glenn.

“What is it?” Daryl grunted from behind Glenn, causing everyone else, who had been wondering the same thing, to chuckle.

“Um…speakers…for an iPod.” Kate began to blush, her cheeks burning red. “I have been saving the last bit of my battery for something special…I thought this would qualify.”

Maggie broke away from her husband to come over to Kate, taking the blue iPod and white speakers from Kate’s hand before wrapping her up in a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered into her friend’s ear.

“I know the selection probably isn’t that gre—“

“Shut up. I can’t believe you would do this for us.” Maggie squeezed her tighter.

Glenn plucked the small speakers out of Maggie’s hand, Kate not having realized he’d approached them as well. “Hell yeah, this is awesome.”

“Also, I think you guys are forgetting these!” Michonne chimed in, standing off to the side holding the two bottles of Jose Cuervo from the handles hooked around her fingers, a stack of red solo cups were sitting on the table next to her as she grinned.

Glenn fist pumped in excitement, the rest of the group began chattering excitedly at the promise of alcohol.

Maggie broke away and turned to her husband. “So, what’s on the list for our first dance?”

Glenn and Maggie bent their heads over the iPod, scrolling through the songs as quickly as possible, knowing that the battery was draining precious time with every movement. Finally they both agreed on one. Glenn handed the equipment to Carl, who set it up on the table, fiddling with it for a few moments before everyone heard the familiar pop.

Soft guitar strings began to stream from the speakers, a gentle melody setting the tune that the couple began to sway in the middle of the open floor too. Rick approached Kate, taking his daughter out of Charlie’s arms, who seemed all to willing to let her go and leaning against the table next to his son.

“ _Black clouds are behind me, I now can see ahead. Often I wonder why I try? Hoping for an end. Sorrow weighs my shoulders down, and trouble haunts my mind but I know the present will not last and tomorrow will be kinder…”_

The gentle song continued to flow from the speakers for a few minutes longer. The couple twisted slowly together on the dance floor. Maggie’s head rested on Glenn’s shoulder, his cheek on her hair. Their hands were entwined, wedding rings glinting in the light of the few lamps they had set up as the sun began to set earlier, after dinner. They made a pretty picture, and everyone was enraptured by them, no one spoke—barely anyone moved, except to sip from their cups. As the song’s last few notes gently faded out, Kate tensed. The couple pulled apart, laughing slightly.

“I don’t know what’s going to—“ Kate was cut off by the next song beginning to play, a upbeat tune streaming from the speakers. “We can change it…we don’t have to play anything—“

“No, are you kidding? This is a great song!” Maggie laughed, pulling her husband to her again before shimming her hips and laughing. A few other people began to be haggled onto the dance floor by their partners as the music became familiar to more people.

“ _Been workin, so hard. I’m punching my card. Eight hours, for what? Oh, tell me what I got. I’ve got this feeling that times are holding me down. I’ll hit the ceiling, or else I’ll tear up this town…”_

Kate laughed as the dance floor began to fill up; the absurdity of it all was almost too much. She wondered if she was going to wake up from a dream. What a strange one it would be: a zombie apocalypse ending in a musical number. She laughed and clapped her hands along to the music, bumping Charlie’s shoulder in time with the beat. She could see Charlie watching people intently, her jaw set hard to prevent the smile Kate knew she was holding back. Finally, she jumped up, pulling Charlie with her on the dance floor.

She held on to Charlie’s limp wrist, moving her arm back and forth attempting to get her to dance with her. It didn’t take long before the look of Kate’s laughing expression and the idea of dancing to music took over. Charlie and her spun around a few times, careful not to spill the liquid gold in their cups, shaking their hips and tossing their heads around. Kate’s long hair flew around her in shower of brown. Kate let go of Charlie to squeeze past her on the now practically full makeshift dance floor. She grabbed onto Carl, who resisted but with a laugh before she managed to yank him to his feet, Jack barking and hopping around their legs.

                Carl held onto his hat, staring stoically at the ground, his feet firmly planted on the ground. That was, until, Charlie bumped him with her hip, causing him to stumble sideways a bit. Charlie grabbed his hands then and spun the skinny teenager away, both of them laughing hysterically, trying to out dork the other one with the sprinkler and cabbage patch. Kate looked after them, laughing joyously at all the people who seemed to have years melted off their lives as they smiled and danced.

                Kate scanned the remaining crowd of people milling around the outskirts of the dance floor, her eyes pausing on Rick, who was holding Judith to him, but was tapping a cowboy boot to the beat. Her head was pleasantly buzzing with the affects of the alcohol as she made her way over to him. “C’mon Rick,” she giggled, pulling on his arm until he stumbled towards her with little resistance.

                “I’ve got Judith—“ he mumbled.

                “Oh, suck it up and have some fun. You do remember what that is, right?” She bumped his bony hip with her own, clinking her holstered knife against the gun strapped to his belt. He looked down at her behind confused and shielded eyes. She just took his free hand, which was hanging uselessly by his side, using it to twirl underneath. She spun herself out and then into his side, grinning up at him and raising an eyebrow. He looked down at her baffled for a moment before sighing and cocking his hip, pushing her away from him. She spun out again, her tinkling laugh mingling with the others.

                As she continued to harass the leader of the group into small dance moves, learning quickly that he had two left feet, not unlike her, her eyes searched the happy crowded. She didn’t even know she was looking for someone until she found him. It was annoying how her brain decided to search him out even when she wasn’t aware of what she was doing.

He was standing against the wall, his arms crossed in front of him, watching the crowd. Every time someone laughed a bit too loud or came to close he flinched, but otherwise stood still as a sentry. She let Rick go, spinning him into the waiting arms of Beth who continued to cajole him to dance, using Judith between them as a prop, having Rick dip the little girl backwards as Beth tickled her stomach, the baby laughing gleefully. Kate slinked off towards Daryl. He wasn’t paying attention to her and under normal circumstances she wouldn’t have been able to sneak up on him but the song that had started playing was loud and upbeat, giving her plenty of cover. She crept up to him, latching on to one of his arms and attempting to pull him forwards. She was met with strong resistance: he had tensed as soon as she’d put her hands on him, relaxing only marginally when he realized who it was.

“Git off me, Princess.” He snapped, though his voice was not harsh.

“Oh, c’mon. Everyone else is dancing.”

“Good fer ‘em. It’s nice ta see ‘em smile, but leave me out of it.”

Kate tugged on his bicep again. “It’s nice to see you smile too.” She admitted quietly, looking up at him from under her lashes.

He looked down at her as if she had grown another head but said nothing, still not budging.

“Don’t make me cause a scene.” Kate warned with a smile and a glint in her eye Daryl had never seen before.

He merely raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged her shoulders before letting go of his arm. He relaxed even further, thinking she had given up. Instead she backed up a step before ramming her shoulder into him. She bounced off—it had been like hitting a brick wall—but he had finally turned to face her, the look he was giving her making her burst out laughing.

“You crazy or summin’?” He snarled at her, holding his drink off to the side as if he was waiting for her to pounce on him again and not wanting to spill the precious alcohol.

“C’mon Daryl, it’ll be fun.” Her limbs felt light as a feather as she attempted to pull on his arm again before giving up with a huff. Her whole body felt warm, all the way down to her toes. “Show me your moves. I bet you’re a great dancer. I bet you were in competitions when you were younger. I bet your walls were lined with dancing ribbons and trophies.” She teased, knowing she would get under his skin, maybe if not with her words, but with the glances people had started giving them.

“Fine,” he growled, grabbing her somewhat roughly by the top of her arm, and dragging her to the outskirts of where everyone else was letting loose on the dance floor. She smiled triumphantly despite the rough treatment. They stopped and he dropped her arm, staring at her hard but not moving at all, his one arm hung down at his side as he took large gulp of his tequila. Kate mimicked him, swallowing down an amount that sent her coughing.

Despite himself, Daryl’s lip quirked up a bit as her eyes began to water. He pounded her on the back once. She laughed, her head beginning to spin as she glanced into her cup which was almost empty already. She swirled around the scant amount of gold alcohol, pouting into her cup before peeking into Daryl’s. “Can I have some of yours? You’ve got more than me.”

He chuckled, pulling his cup out of her grabbing hands causing her to step closer to him, attempting to pull his arm down to her reach. “Git yer own, ya’ moocher.” He grumbled his chest rumbling as he continued to laugh.

She stood back and crossed her arms. “Someone don’t know how to share.”

He raised an eyebrow at her grammar; she hadn’t noticed the slip as she continued to stare at him with a wounded look. “Someone don’t know how to hold ‘er alcohol.” He countered in amusement.

“Someone don’t know how ta’ dance either.” She challenged him, her accent becoming thicker as the alcohol took hold. She grabbed his hand that wasn’t holding his drink still out of her reach. She used it as a prop as she twirled around, shaking her hips and jumping in hops in time to the music. He didn’t really move, except to push and pull her as she spun around him. She used him as an anchor; several times he had to keep her from careening into people next to them, her brown hair flying around her. She twirled into him, misjudging the distance and colliding somewhat roughly into his chest, spilling a bit of her drink onto his blue shirt.

“Oh no,” she said sadly, tracing the darkened spot with her finger, resting her cheek heavily on his chest. “I really liked this shirt.”

Daryl couldn’t help but bark out a sharp laugh in surprise. She looked at him curiously, expecting an explanation. “Maybe we should put these down.” He suggested, gently prying her cup out of her reluctant grip and setting both cups on the table behind them. He turned back around offering her his hand. She took it with a bright smile, he allowed her a small smile in return, his blue eyes glinting mischievously as he twirled her away from him again. On the recoil as she came back to him this time her foot caught on her other one and she began to fall forwards. She was caught in a cage of strong arms. She giggled as he stood her back onto her feet, his arms hanging loosely around her waist.

The music abruptly changed, neither of them had really been listening to the songs, knowing they’d only been upbeat and fast. The slow sound of someone picking on guitar strings floated from the speakers and the atmosphere of the room changed. Several people coupled off, beginning to move in slow circles together. Kate could see from underneath Daryl’s arm, Maggie dancing with Hershel, Beth and Glenn together, Rick stood off to the side murmuring into Judith’s hair and holding onto her tiny hand as he swayed. Kate pushed her face into Daryl’s chest, resting her forehead on his sternum. His arms had not retracted around her waist, and she felt his fingers push into her back.

She moved a step closer to him so that their bodies were pressed against each other, breathing in the smell of his woodsy scent that reminded her of a burning fire. Her arms wrapped around his waist, clutching at the back of his blue shirt. They began to move slowly with the music as a voice crooned out of the speakers. She could hear his heartbeat as she turned her head to lay her cheek against his chest, could feel his breath on top of her head.

“ _And I told you to be patient, and I told you to be fine, and I told you to be balanced, and I told you to be kind. In the morning I’ll be with you, but it will be a different kind, I’ll be holding all the tickets, you’ll be owing all the fines. Come on skinny love, what happ—“_

The music cut off abruptly as her iPod died. There was a long beat of silence where all the people who were left in the room decided what to do. Kate kept her eyes closed, content to stay that way for always. Suddenly she felt Daryl let go and step away from her, breaking her light grip on him. She opened her eyes and looked up at him but he had already turned his back to her, stomping off. Kate’s arms fell to her sides as she watched Daryl leave, jumping slightly as the large metal door that lead to the outside swung shut behind him.

Kate blinked for a few moments, attempting to clear her foggy head. She looked around her, noticing that most people had cleared away, probably disappearing out to the awning where she knew canned fruit was being served as a special dessert. She noticed Rick standing off to the side, bouncing Judith on his hip but she could see even in the shadows the glint of his blue eyes watching her. She pulled her lips into what she thought was a reassuring smile before stumbling forwards slightly, grabbing both her and Daryl’s cup.

She tipped her head back, chugging the rest of her tequila in a few gulps, despite the protest in her throat. She threw it on the ground with the others, knowing that she had already volunteered to clean up in the morning. She dragged her feet outside, the chill of the air an unexpected surprise. She didn’t shiver though, the warmth of the alcohol acting as an invisible shield. At the awning she grabbed a full can of peaches from Beth and then walked away without a word, feeling Charlie’s eyes on her the whole time as she sat with Michonne and Carl enjoying some maraschino cherries.

Kate ignored them and disappeared from the group again, walking across the grounds with purpose. She climbed the ladder to the watch tower, balancing the open can in one hand and holding the red solo cup by the brim with her teeth. As she reached the top and peeked over the edge she satisfied her suspicion. Daryl was sitting on the ground on the far side, resting his head against the side of the glass wall and gazing down into the darkness beyond the prison.

At the sound of her clambering up the ladder he turned his head. She managed to scramble onto the platform, grabbing the cup with her hand instead of clenching it in her teeth as she put her feet under her. She walked over, knowing that he was watching her cautiously. She sat about a foot away from him, stretching her legs out in front of her and leaning her head back.

“I brought your drink.” She said simply, holding it out to him.

He looked at it in suspicion, peering at the contents.

“I didn’t drink any of it.” She shrugged.

He took it from her gently, sloshing the liquid around in the cup before taking a long sip. “Where’s yours?” He asked quietly without looking at her.

“Finished it.”

He glanced at her then. She couldn’t make out any of his features, except for the blue glint of his eyes on her. “Yer a glutton for punishment.”

“It’s been a while.” She defended herself half-heartedly, holding her hand out in front of her and twisting her wrist around, watching the play of the moon beams on the long planes of her hand. They sat in the silence for a while, Daryl taking occasional sips of his drink. When it was finished he crunched the cup in his hand and threw it onto the other side of the room. Kate watched as it settled after clanking against the opposite wall.

“Wanna know a secret?” She asked, rolling her head so that she was looking at him.

He made a noncommittal sound in his throat.

“Oh! I forgot!” She moved her hip sideways, digging around in her back pocket for something, almost tipping over, if not for the hand that reached out to grab her, steadying her until she found what she was looking for.

He made sure she was sitting properly again before retracting his hand, drawing his knee up and resting his elbow on it.

“Ya’ got a light?” She asked.

He reached into his pocket before pulling out a blue lighter and flame burst forth. She smiled and stuck her face close to it; a cigarette appearing in the light. She inhaled, lighting the tip and pulling back.

“Ya’ want one?” She asked, waving the pack in front of his face. “Found ‘em on the run the other day…you know the one where I…” she pointed to her head, which had healed but was still tender to the touch and then motioning to her arm, where black stitches could still be seen if she rolled up her sleeve.

He nodded and took one from the opened pack, lighting it. The flame allowed her the briefest view of his face before it was brought back into darkness. She watched the red spot of light travel to his lips and then settle somewhere over his knee. The sound of his breath as he exhaled was comforting.

“Camel blues…” she said quietly.

“I know.” He replied gruffly.

“Charlie’s favorites,” she supplied.

“Mine too.”   
                She grinned at him before remembering that he couldn’t see her. They finished their cigarettes without speaking, filling the night air instead with the sounds of their breath, of their lives. Daryl finished his first, Kate was not surprised—she had always smoked them more casually, never really an addict. She knew that if she’d ever used them as a stress reducer she wouldn’t have been able to stop. He pressed the butt against the concrete next to his leg. She listened to it sizzle out, before feeling his eyes on her.

“Was tha’ yer secret? You smoke?”

She shook her head, knowing he was looking at her and could see the movement with his sharp hunter’s eyes. “No.” 

“Then wha’ was it?” He demanded impatiently.

“I like the silence.” She sighed, exhaling her last bit of smoke and pressing her cigarette onto the ground next to Daryl’s, letting her hand brush against his as she drew away again. “I always lived in the cities…the sound of sirens and horns and voices shouting even at three in the morning. Ever since I was a child I hated loud noises: planes overhead, garbage disposals, the sound of the toilet flushing…” she chuckled softly.

“Tha’s stupid.” Daryl commented, a huff of laughter escaping him.

“I grew out of that last one.” Kate smiled in the darkness. “But the rest…it’s just so much more…peaceful now. Is that stupid?” She asked, turning towards him, her head tilted curiously.

“No.” He answered simply, his blue eyes finding her brown and green ones.

She smiled softly at him, hoping he could see. “Good.”

They stared at each other for a few moments, the wind rustling through the trees in the distance the only sounds to be heard except for their shallow breaths.

“Want some peaches?” She broke the silence.

“Ya’ got peaches?”

“Yeah, I—oh fuck!”

Daryl laughed in surprise at her cursing, he attempted to quiet her, putting a finger to his lips, though she was too distracted in her search for whatever she was looking for to see.

She turned back towards him, her brain starting to go fuzzy as tears welled up in her eyes. She sniffled once. “I forgot spoons.” The words came out so defeated Daryl felt the strange impulse to pull her towards him. Instead he crawled towards her, careful to keep himself from rubbing his pant leg through the cigarette butts. He sat near her, his leg pressed alongside her own. The warmth of the alcohol was nothing compared to the fire that spread up her thigh at the contact. She shivered slightly as the heat spread up her spine.

“Ya’ cold?” He asked, peering at her in the darkness, closer now they could make out each other’s features much more easily in the light of the moon.

“No,” she blushed, hoping that the darkness was enough to cover the betrayal of her skin.

“Hand me the can.” He demanded gently.

Kate gave him a skeptical look but passed the open aluminum over to him. He glanced at her from under the fringe of his long brown hair, giving her a devilish grin before dipping his fingers into the can. He pulled out a sliver of peach, juices dripping from his fingers as he tipped his head back and dropped it into his mouth.

“Gross.” Kate wrinkled her nose.

“More fer me than,” Daryl agreed, snagging another piece of the fruit and swallowing it too.

“No way! I brought it up here! Now who can’t share?” She reached out toward the can and he moved it out of the way of her grasp, chuckling lightly at her indignant look.

“Daryl—“ she drawled out.

“You want some peaches, Princess?” He growled softly, grabbing a large chunk out of the can before dangling it over his mouth.

She nodded her head, watching him from where she’d sprawled out across his lap in attempt to wrestle the can from him.

“Too bad.”

Before he could drop it she lunged towards him, scrambling to get the piece, laughing as he attempted to keep it away from her, spilling bits of peach juice from the can all down both of their hands. She managed to wrap both her arms around his one, like an anaconda strangling its prey, and began to slowly drag it over to her mouth. He was much stronger than her, but she tugged with all her might, making needy noises as he chuckled at her struggle. He finally gave in some—she knew that he was just appeasing her, and that if he really wanted to he could have kept up the fight all day.

She took the peach from him gently, her lips brushing over the pads of his fingers. She unwrapped her arms from around his one and swallowed, licking her lips and turning towards him with a wolfish grin. Her multi-colored eyes glinted in the moon light.

She realized that in their wrestling she had maneuvered onto his lap, straddling his thighs, and once she noticed their position, tensed. He seemed to become aware of it at the same time since she could feel the muscles in his legs shift, she made to back away when she noticed that he was moving to accommodate her sitting in his lap. He scooted backwards so that he was sitting straight against the wall, no longer slouching forwards fro where he’d slipped down in their struggle. Kate tucked her shins under her so that they were laying flat on the ground on either side of Daryl’s thighs.

They munched quietly on the peaches for what seemed like hours, taking turns feeding each other or themselves as they felt the urge, only glancing away from each other when they were reaching for a new piece of fruit. When Daryl went and grabbed for the last piece he threw the can against the opposite wall where it came to rest next to the empty cup of tequila.

Kate giggled. “Who gets it?”

Daryl held it up to her, his mouth in a thin line, his face unreadable. Kate leaned forward, balancing herself by putting her hands on his chest. She grabbed one end of the peach slice between her teeth, grinning at Daryl from around the fruit before leaning closer to him. Her eyelids fluttered closed as she rested in the position, her thighs burning as she held herself above him. She felt his hands come up to slide around her waist, elevating some of her weight as she rested in his grip. She heard him move forward before feeling his breath on her face as his lips closed over the other side of the peach.

They both bit down with a soft crunch, pulling away from each other slightly to chew and swallow. Kate opened her eyes to find Daryl staring at her, the reflection of the silver moonlight in his eyes causing her heart to patter in her chest like rain on a tin roof. She could feel his breath on her moist lips, her jaw quivered as she moved closer to him, closing her eyes and bumping their noses together.

Suddenly Daryl’s hands clamped down around the flesh of her hips and their lips crashed together. Kate’s hands came up quickly to tangle at the base of Daryl’s neck in his hair, her lips burning from the scratch of his mustache and beard as their faces pushed together. She ground down against him, the strain of her thighs coupled with his strong hands on her waist too much for her to hold up. The contact made him groan and squeeze her hip bones so tightly she winced as he moved against her.

The twitch of her cheek and sharp inhale of breath caused Daryl to immediately release her hips, and withdraw his lips from hers. She pressed her body closer to him, searching out his lips again in reassurance. He stayed still for a moment, his hands hovering over her waist, before she ran her tongue gently against the seal of his mouth, tasting the remaining peach juices there. Then his hands were on her again, running up her sides and tangling in her long hair.

They stayed like that for a while, tongues dancing and bodies grinding against each other in the moonlight. Kate swore they were on fire, every nerve in her burning with a passion she thought long ago extinguished. Her toes curled in her boots as she keened into Daryl’s mouth, her hips moving against his pelvis, every tug of his hand in her hair and groan against her lips causing her brain to go off line for a split second.

Finally they broke apart, their bodies stilling, though an energy buzzed around them as if they were filled with electricity. Daryl dropped his forehead to gently rest against Kate’s, their sweat mingling there. Despite the temperature both of their bodies were burning. Kate felt her eyelids grow heavy and she curled closer into Daryl.

“Is this what you do with all the girls?” She murmured against his lips.

He hummed in the back of his throat in question, releasing her hair to trace circles with his fingers into the small of her back, the feeling soothing more than anything else.

She relaxed against him, dipping her head down to where his strong shoulder connected to his neck. She felt his chin rest on top of her head. “Fill them up with tequila and then jump them in the watch tower?”

“If I ‘member correctly, you drank that tequila all on yer lonesome.” Daryl reminded her, moving his hand up to play with strands of her hair, the other one wrapping around her waist and shifting her over a bit. She curled her back into the curve of his arm, moving with him, somehow knowing what he needed without him asking.

“You might be right,” she admitted, bringing a hand up to trace the set of his jaw before drifting down the side of his neck, where it rested against his collar. “Still…is this what you do with all the girls?” She couldn’t conceal the jealous suspicion that colored her voice no matter how hard she attempted to play it off as a teasing question.

“Only you,” he soothed into her hair, his warm breath ghosting across the top of her head.

“Only you.” She repeated, snuggling further into his warm embrace with a sigh, suddenly overcome with sleep. The last thing she remembered was pressing a kiss into his collarbone and thinking she felt him return it on the crown of her head, but drifting off unsure; knowing only the feel of his arms around her and the fact she was curled on his lap like a small child, protected and warm. 


	14. Ultimatiums

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it took so long to update! I've been super busy as of late, but I promise this story is coming to a close within four or five chapters and I will get it all to you as quickly as possible!
> 
> (WARNING: This chapter contains some BOWCHICKAWOWWOW, just a heads up.)

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Ultimatums_

                When Kate awoke the first thing she felt was a slight pounding behind her eyes, like someone was beating a drum in her brain. She groaned and rolled over, the second thing she noticed was the feeling of concrete grinding into her back. Before opening her eyes she took a minute to orient herself. The last thing she remembered was being held by Daryl in the guard tower, from the hard ground she was laying on and the prominent chill in the air she assumed she’d never made it back to her cell. Had Daryl left her up there on her own? She felt the beginnings of anger start to lick through her before she realized her head was laying on something supple, if not soft, and there was something heavy draped lightly across her waist.

                She finally blinked her eyes open, the sunlight dulled by what she assumed must be grey clouds hanging in the sky. She wouldn’t know since she found the only thing in her vision was a belt buckle. She realized then that her makeshift pillow must be someone’s leg; the weight around her waist was someone’s wrist. She could feel the person tugging down the back of her shirt and she lifted her hip slightly so that they could pull the red fabric over her bare side, where goosebumps had started to form. She nuzzled her nose into the fabric, sighing contently, not quite ready to rejoin the world.

                Her mouth was dry and the headache continued its steady throbbing in her skull. She felt a shift from the person above her and then a hand was carding through her hair tentatively, gentle fingers stroking through the locks of brown, ending at the bottom where tangled curls were impossible to part. This was repeated a few times, the pain in her head slowly starting to retreat from the comforting gesture. Just as she began to drift back into a half-sleep a particularly cold gust of wind blew through the guard tower, whistling angrily about her. She shivered; curling her legs, which had been splayed out, into her chest. The hand on her back splayed out, making sure her shirt was all the way down and no skin was exposed.

                The hand in her hair stopped and she made a disgruntled noise, nuzzling her nose into her companion’s thigh.

                “A’ight. Think ya’ been asleep long ‘nough.” Daryl’s gruff voice mumbled quietly from above her. “I know yer awake.”

                She sighed and rolled onto her back, opening her eyes with a small, sleepy smile. Daryl’s hand dragged softly against her stomach, causing her muscles to ripple with anticipation before he pulled away. He was looking down at her from where he was sitting with his back against the wall. The leg she was lying on was stretched out in front of him while his other one was drawn up towards his chest, his elbow resting on his knee.

                “I feel like shit.” Kate complained, putting a hand to her forehead and shielding her eyes from the grey light that hung over them. She felt Daryl scoff from above her.

                “Sit up,” he commanded gently, moving his leg slightly in encouragement.

                Kate curled forwards, stretching her back as she did so before she turned around, sitting cross legged next to Daryl, her knee touching his thigh lightly. She watched as he reached down next to him and came up with a red cup, handing it over to her. She raised an eyebrow as he handed it to her. “This isn’t more alcohol is it? I don’t think I ever want to drink again.”

                “’S water.” Daryl snorted, his lip twitching upwards in a miniscule movement that she barely caught.

                She guzzled it down greedily, the semi-cool liquid chasing away her headache almost immediately. As soon as it sloshed into her stomach it rumbled hungrily. She put a hand to her abdomen and looked up from underneath her lashes at Daryl. He was already reaching down before producing a can from next to him. He handed it over to her and she slurped the peaches she found in it down greedily, not caring that the juices overflowed on one side and dripped down her chin and into her hair. When she had finished eating she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

                “Thank you,” she murmured to Daryl, feeling suddenly very shy and very exposed. Her gaze drifted down to his thigh where her head had been leaning, she found the small wet spot that she had been searching for, her cheeks flushing with a soft pink. “And sorry about that, bad habit.”

                He shrugged quietly, his finger reaching down to trace the small outline from the drool which must have leaked out of her mouth in her sleep. She licked her lips self consciously before another gust of wind sent her shuddering. She realized she had walked up to the tower last night in nothing more than her flannel shirt and black fleece leggings cover by a pair of stained jean shorts. Sometime in her sleep she had managed to kick her boots off, they lay off to one side. She turned and leaned against the wall, pulling her knees up and resting her chin on them. She shivered again, her elbow jerking out to touch Daryl’s arm. They were sitting close but not touching, Daryl’s hands folded in his lap as if he was in prayer.

                They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the trees in the distance wave back and forth in wind, the sun was obscured under the charcoal colored skies, which spread out as far as the eye could see. This was going to be a dismal day. “What time is it?” She asked quietly after a while, turning to rest her cheek on her knees so that she could look at the man sitting next to her.

                He brought a hand up to bite at his thumbnail, his blue eyes sliding to her as he answered. “Round noon.”

                “Noon!” Kate exclaimed, beginning to scramble up. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

                His hand shot out to grab her hand as she stood, pulling her back down next to him. “It’s already been cleaned up, ya’ ain’t got to worry.” He attempted to sooth her, though he sounded almost as anxious as she felt.

                She sat back down next to him with an irritated huff. “I was supposed to help clean up.”

                She felt Daryl shrug, their repositioning had brought her closer next to him, the sides of their bodies pressed against each other. Kate let her legs stretch out alongside Daryl’s, her long legs not even reaching to his ankles.

                “They got it handled, Hershel said ta’ let ya’ sleep and Rick agreed. Said ya’ done ‘nough. I reckon ya’ did, jus’ ‘bout ran yerself into the ground these past coupla days. Everyone knows it.”

                Kate ran a hand through her hair, nibbling on her bottom lip. They went back to the quiet, listening to the sound of walkers just outside of the fence, their rasping growls no longer sent fear into Kate, since she knew that they were no were they could harm her. Instead they added to the minimal background sounds of the prison like sick morning birds. Normal. Kate pulled the pack of cigarettes from her pocket, Daryl simultaneously reaching for his lighter as she did so. With the ease of two practice smokers they traded a light for a cigarette before both of them were gently puffing on the Camels. Kate sighed, two swirls of smoke drifting out of her nose and lifting up to hang above their heads, mingling with the grey of the sky and Daryl’s own smoke.

                “Why’d you come back?” Kate asked quietly, the words punctuated by a stream of smoke that fell from her lips as she spoke.

                “Come back?” The gruffness of Daryl’s voice betrayed his confusion.

                “To the tower, this morning.” Kate explained, keeping her gaze focused forward although she could feel his eyes on her profile. She heard the hiss of his cigarette being pressed against the ground.

                “I only left ta’ get food. Thought ya’ were asleep.” His voice was quiet and she looked down when she caught his hand twitching on his knee as if deciding whether to reach for her or not.

                “You stayed?” She turned to look at him then, though his gaze zigzagged away from her as she did so.

                “’Course I stayed. Weren’t gonna have ya’ up here alone.” He began to pick at the hole around the knee of his brown pants with dull fingernails, pulling off the fluff of frayed fabric and watching as it drifted across the concrete floor.

                “Sorry.” Kate muttered, her face heating up as she began to remember last night more specifically. She shivered again, but not from the cold. She remembered the feel of his hands on her hips, her hands in his hair, their tongues brushing against each other like flames. She pressed the end of her cigarette onto the ground.

                “Why d’ya say sorry so damn much? I swear I ain’t never met a more sorry person in all my life.” Daryl’s voice rumbled with irritation.

                Kate flinched slightly at the raised volume of his annoyance, cowering in more on herself and not answering him. “You could’ve left, I would’ve been fine.”

                “The way ya’ was clingin’ ta’ me like the last leaf on a tree in fall speaks differently.” Daryl’s lip quirked up slightly. “’Sides, ya’ looked real cute curled up in my lap. All peaceful-like.” The last sentence was muttered quietly into his chest.

                Kate’s lips quirked upwards slightly. “Sorry—“

                Daryl’s head snapped up and his blue eyes narrowed at her.

                “I just meant…I didn’t mean to crowd you. I’m kind of an octopus when I sleep. I just latch on to whatever’s closest.”

                For some reason this made Daryl’s jaw tighten, the flickering muscle in his temple a give away to his sudden change of mood. She reached her hand out tentatively and placed it on Daryl’s which was still fiddling with his threadbare knee. He jerked away from her, rolling to his feet and striding across the small space so quickly that Kate felt like she had blinked and missed a minute of her own life. Daryl leaned against the window, pressing his forehead to the cool panel and breathing harshly out of his nose, his breath fogging the glass.

                Kate stood up but did not move, merely wrapped her arms around herself and stared at his back. He was devoid of his angel wings, still wearing the blue button up from last night, though the sleeves were rolled up and a few buttons undone on the front. Kate tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, looking down at her white socks which stood out starkly against the dark grey of the concrete beneath her feet. “Did I do something?” She asked quietly, looking up at Daryl.

                He diverted his gaze when she made eye contact with his reflection.

                “I don’t understand. You said you don’t want anything with me…and then not a week later here we are, cuddling in the guard tower after a half drunk make-out session.” She watched as Daryl’s hand clenched into a fist on against the glass but he made no other movement that said he had heard her. “Do you have anything to say?”

                Silence.

                “I’m not going to sit her and let you to with me, Daryl Dixon. You either like me, or you don’t. I don’t do random hook ups. It’s not my MO. I don’t do games. I do not like to be toyed with.” Her own hands were now clenched in fists down by her side as she stared daggers into the back of his head. She wanted for him turn around, to say something, to make some sort of move. She didn’t know what, exactly, she wanted that move to be. Part of her wished he would just reject her, yell at her to scram and get away from him. The less smart, more romantic side of her wished that he would turn around and profess his feelings for her. The feelings that she knew where slipping around him somewhere, too new and fleeting to possibly grasp, like salmon swimming up river.

                When he finally did turn to her, dragging his eyes up to meet her stony gaze, she did not expect to see what she did. His eyes were clouded by some emotion she couldn’t quite pinpoint, though he held her stare, something was blank about it, as if he was far off. She took a step towards him, holding her hands out to pressed them lightly against his chest. She could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage, his jaw see-sawing back and forth. He tensed under her touch but did not move away, so she didn’t drop her hands. Instead she dropped her head so that she was looking dead on, her gaze leveling on his collarbone.

                “What do you want?” Her breath danced across the open collar of his shirt, she watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat, but still he stood there silently and impassive as marble. Finally she stepped away from him with a huff, frustration rising in her. She turned and snatched her boots off the floor, slipping them on with jerking movements, hopping around the floor as she tried to keep herself from falling over. Daryl shot out a hand to steady her but the look she threw at him caused him to retract his hand as if he’d been burned. “You better decide, Daryl, because I will not wait around. I refuse to let you keep dancing around me. Kissing, not kissing, kissing, ignoring me. It’s ridiculous. We’re adults. So I’m going to tell you this, and I’m going to tell you once. Are you listening to me?” She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, her hair wild about her face, multi-colored eyes narrowed in his direction.

                He was watching her like a weary animal, unsure whether she was going to attack or retreat. His head dipped towards his chest in a slight nod.

                “I care about you. God help me, but I do. You’re a good man, Daryl, despite what you might think. I trusted you before I knew you, with my life and Charlie’s. You did not break that trust. In the months I’ve been here you’ve shown me kindness when others turned their backs on me. You’ve saved me. In this world where no one is safe, you’ve given me the best sanctuary I could ask for. I know that I’m not really a survivor. I don’t know how to hunt, or start a fire, or kill walkers that well. But I’m here. I’m still here, and there’s a reason for that. I don’t care what we are, how other people see it, or if they even see it at all. I just want to know how you _feel_.”

                Her chest was heaving and her eyes were shining with unshed moisture born of frustration and passion.

                “Kate—“

                “I just...Take some time Daryl, I’ve got to go. Get out of here for a little while.” She waved him off, turning to begin climbing out of the tower.

                “Get out? Wha’ d’ya mean?” Daryl’s voice rose in what sounded like concern but she wasn’t paying attention as she began her descent.

                “Just think about it. Okay? I’ll be back before dark.”

                She disappeared from his view, leaving him blinking dumbfound after her. When she hit the ground she made her way slowly up to the prison, slipping inside quietly. She went to her cell and changed her pants into jeans, leaving her flannel shirt that still smelled faintly of Daryl on. As she left she ran into Hershel leaving his cell.

                “Kate, I just wanted to say thank you for what you’ve done for Maggie and Glenn, it was a beautiful thing.”

                “No need to thank me, Hershel.” She pulled her bottom lip from between her teeth, his large, warm hand on her shoulder feeling as if it was pinning her in place.

                “Something wrong, hon?” His eyes narrowed in doctorly concern, giving her a quick once over.

                “Fine. Have you seen Charlie…or Rick?”

                Hershel thought for a moment. “Charlie was at the dining area last I saw her.”

                Without another word Kate slipped from underneath his grip and darted away. She found Charlie placing a stack of dishes back on the bottom shelf behind the counter, obviously having just cleaned them.

                Charlie’s greeting smile slipped from her face as she took in the look on Kate’s face. “What’s wrong?” Charlie asked worriedly.

                “Nothing. Well…nothing really important. I’m going for a ride, do you want to come?” Kate kicked her foot against the wood of the counter, not making eye contact with Charlie’s concerned gaze.

                “I told Rick I’d help him with a build up on the North side. Are you going alone?”

                Kate nodded.

                “I don’t like it.” Charlie reached over to put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “But be careful.”

                Kate shot Charlie a grateful smile, pulling the hand away from her shoulder and kissing the knuckles. “I will. Have you seen Rick?”

                “Down by the barn.”

                “Thank you.”

                “Be safe!” Charlie called after Kate’s retreating form. Kate made her way quickly over the prison grounds, coming to the barn and scaling the fence with ease. She began tacking Percy with practiced ease. It was a few minutes before she heard two sets of feet approaching her.

                “Going somewhere?” Rick’s voice was casual but laced with authoritative concern. She walked around Percy to see him and his son leaning against the fence, watching her.

                “Out for a ride. That alright?” She wasn’t really looking for permission, but felt obligated with Rick’s icy stare on her.

                The leader rubbed a hand through his salt and pepper beard, glancing down at his son next to him, who was watching the interaction curiously.

                “Why are you leaving?” Carl asked, his head cocked to the side like an inquisitive puppy.

                “Just got to clear my head.” Kate smiled at the young man.

                “Are you coming back?” His blue eyes were watching her carefully, his expression attempting to conceal his concern.

                Her heart burned at the betrayed look on his face. It was only recently that Carl had shown any sort of warmness to her, and now he looked a moment’s breath away from scorning her again with mistrust. “Of course,” she replied as forcefully as she could.

                His hard eyes searched her face for any trace of a lie before he nodded once, Sheriff’s hat bobbing on his head.

                “Back before dark?” Rick took control of the conversation again and it was Kate’s turn to nod. “Don’t get off and don’t go far.”

                “Wasn’t planning on it.” Kate admitted before swinging up into the saddle.

                Carl took off around the side of the fence to open the gate for her. She smiled lightly at him as she urged Percy through the open fence. Carl walked by Percy’s head, a hand tangled in the chestnut’s mane. When they reached the main gate, Carl turned to look up at her. “Come back.”

                “Of course.” She repeated to him, tapping the rim of his hat with her foot. He laughed once and batted her boot away from his face before moving off to open the large doors. As soon as a big enough space for her and Percy to fit through was made she pressed her heels to Percy’s sides and he sprung forwards.

They left the prison in the dust shortly, the only sounds Kate could hear was the beating of her own heart and the pounding of Percy’s hooves against the pavement. She rode for what seemed like hours, allowing Percy to set the pace. They galloped for what felt like forever before Percy finally settled down into a gentle lope. The pair passed a few walkers, stumbling about aimlessly, too slow to do anything more than turn and start stumbling in her direction a step or two before she was almost out of sight again. When she found a clearing where there was no sign of the dead ambling about she pulled Percy up to a walk and let him graze in the grass for a while as she sat on his back and caught her breath.

                After about an hour of Percy contently munching on the grass, Kate lying against his neck, a few of the dead appeared at the edge of the clearing. Noticing also that the shadows had begun to grow long despite the cloudy day she decided now was a good of a time as any to head back to the prison. As always with these kinds of trips the journey home did not seem to take her nearly the amount of time it did for her to leave. When she pulled up at the gate it was Michonne who let her in, the quiet woman not saying anything to her as she rode by but smiled slightly in welcome. Kate returned the expression before the two parted ways.

                Kate untacked Percy slowly. Afterwards, she took her time grooming him, running a cloth over the saddle mark on his back a few times until it had vanished. She wiped the damp cloth down his muscled legs, and over his neck and rump, making double sure that his red coat was absolutely glistening, even in the darkness of overcast dusk. So zoned into her task was she that she never even heard any approaching footsteps.

                “Heard you was back.” Daryl said softly.

                Her head snapped towards him, eyes widening in surprise.

He was leaning against the railings of the fence, arms crossed in front of him and one of his legs lifted onto a lower rung.

She didn’t answer him, instead went back to running her hands over Percy’s still warm flesh, her fingernails rubbing tiny circles into his shoulder. They stood like that for a long while, neither one of them talking. She refused to speak first, content to spend this time with her horse. She felt as if she had been neglecting him ever since they got to the prison, hardly ever taking him out and even more scarcely coming down to feed him treats or just speak to him as she had done in the past. Maybe Daryl understood, for he stood quietly, watching her with those sharp eyes, petting Percy’s nose subconsciously. She could feel his gaze following her every movement, even in the near darkness.

Finally, she felt she could not put this off any longer and undid Percy’s bridle which had kept him in place, allowing him to turn and wonder over to Annie who was standing on the other side of their pen. She climbed over the fence, Daryl reaching an arm out as if to steady her but not touching her. She hopped down onto the other side, turning without speaking to him and walking towards the mess tent, knowing dinner would be served shortly. Canned tomato soup was on the menu for tonight and its warm taste curled all the way down into her toes. She hummed contently as she ate, closing her eyes to enjoy the heat as much as she could.

Daryl watched her as she slowly slurped on her dinner. He had finished his in a few gulps, pushing it aside impatiently and staring at Kate with an intensity that made her question whether it was really the soup that was shooting warmth into her body. After she’d finished Daryl had picked up both his and her bowl, carrying them to the counter, where Beth took them with a gentle smile, Kate following curiously behind Daryl. They made their way through the common area of the cell block, passing everyone in their evening activities. It was not unusual to see the pair slipping off towards the library and so no one as much batted an eyelash as they passed.

The way to the library was quiet. Kate’s heart was jumping around so violently she wondered vaguely if Daryl could hear it beating against her ribcage as if it was being led to its death. His steps were sure and steady as he led her down into the bowels of the prison. It was a silent journey, neither of them making a sound, Kate following behind Daryl, even though she knew the way by now. When they reached the library he pushed the door open, and jerked his head for her to go ahead of him. She slipped passed him, brushing against the soft fabric of his shirt as she did so.

The sound of the door banging shut was surprising, since all else had been dulled until then. She leaned against a bookcase, waiting for Daryl to turn towards her. He spent a few unnecessary moments casting his light about the library, as if to look for the monsters they both knew no longer lurked there. Kate took the time to admire the strength in his back and shoulders, muscles moving subtly under his blue button down, wisps of brown hair curling against the collar. Finally, he turned the flashlight back onto Kate, keeping it out of her eyes, but flicking it over her once, up and down her body, resting it on her face for a moment. She stared steadily back at him, her head slightly tilted to one side in patient curiosity.

She had given him all day to get his thoughts together, what was a few more moments? She rested her back against the shelves behind her, arms loosely crossed over her chest, not in a confrontational stance but out of comfort. She tilted one leg so that she could hook the heel of her boot against the lowest shelf, her knee jutting out in front of her. Her hair felt around her shoulders like an auburn curtain.

Daryl placed the flashlight on a lower bookshelf a few feet away, tilting it towards the wall next to Kate so that it illuminated her without shining directly into her face. He took a step towards her before stopping and scuffing a shoe against the carpeted floor. He looked down before glancing back up at her from under his brown fringe. “You left.”

“I told you I was going to.”

He was shaking his head as she spoke. “No, you didn’t say you were going out _there_.” His voice was low and rumbling, on the verge of no control. Anger was laced into his tone but something else was there as well, something that Kate had never really heard before and could not pinpoint.

“Does it matter?”

“’Course. Out there ya’ could git hurt. Ya’ already have.” He steps close to her then, grabbing her arm and tracing with a finger the jagged line of her stitches.

Kate made no movement, letting him turn her arm this way and that, the raised thread casting strange shadows down her forearm.

“Ya’ left. And I realized that I was angry ‘bout it.” His voice goes hard, as if he is reliving that resentment now. “I couldn’t figure out what got me all in a tizzy about the fact ya’ was leavin’. I know ya’ can take care of ya’ self. Maybe not as well as some of the others, but I know ya’ can.” He looks at her then, straight in the eye, and the skepticism that she was holding in her own multi-colored eyes dropped away at the confidence in his own. “So, why was I so mad that I wanted ta try and punch a hole through the guard tower?”

Kate realized after a moment that he was looking to her for an answer. “I don’t know,” she breathed quietly, her heartbeat jumping up into over time as Daryl’s eyes flickered down to her lips as she pulled her bottom one through her teeth.

“I was worried ‘bout ya’. And I realized I ain’t got no right ta’ be. Ya’ got Charlie ta’ worry about ya’. It ain’t my place ta’ care wha’ ya’ do.” His voice is soft and accent so thick that she leans in closer to him to understand it. His eyes flicker to the movement of her head and he flinches away for a moment before sighing harshly through his nose. “Dammit woman, ya’ got somethin’ tha’ I ain’t ever dealt with before. I don’t know wha’ ta’ do with ya’ half the time. Ya’ got my brain all wrapped ‘round itself like a goddamn maze.”

Kate smiles slightly at him and he rolls his eyes but his lip quirks upwards in one corner.

“Don’t let tha’ be gettin’ ta’ ya’ pretty little head of yours.” He warns, though his voice is smooth and calming.

“Why, I think it already has,” she breathes back at him, the breath she inhales causes her chest to brush against his, they’re standing so close.

Daryl closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. “Ya’ got all wrapped up in my head…got ya’ all wrapped up in my heart…” he bites his lip now as if searching for something else to say.

“And?” Kate pushes, tilting her head and licking her lips.

His blue eyes watch the movement before flickering up to her eyes where they stay locked. “I guess I’m sayin’ I care ‘bout ya’.” His eyelids flutter in a way that is almost adorable it’s so shy.

“I care about you too.” Kate admits softly, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek, ignoring the fact his eye twitches at the contact. “What now?”

“I reckon I’m gonna kiss ya’ now.” Daryl breathes against her lips, bringing his hands up to tangle in her hair, pulling her head back to tilt his lips upwards towards him. Their lips meet in a soft kiss, breathing into each other’s mouths. Kate’s hand that had been resting on his cheek slips behind his head, tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck. Daryl’s hands trail down to her waist, where they rest lightly. Their foreheads come to rest against each other, as they steal gentle kisses.

The scruff around his mouth tickles Kate’s mouth and she laughs a bit, breathlessly at the sensation, wrapping her hand harder into his hair, bringing her other one around his back pressing him towards her. It’s as if a switch has been flicked because suddenly he takes a step forward, crowding her against the bookshelf behind her and pressing the length of their bodies together. She gasps into his mouth and a feral growl rumbling in his chest. She brings her hands up around his neck the same time his arms circle her waist. She uses the foot that had been resting on the lower shelf to push herself up some, so that their mouths are even. Their tongues scrape against each other’s teeth and inside of cheeks, exploring each other’s mouths in a frantic dance.

One of Daryl’s hands travels down to grasp the back of the leg that Kate has hanging a few inches off the ground all her weight supported on the lower shelf with her other foot. He hooks his large hand under her slender thigh and hoists it up, moving closer than she thought possible. She instinctively wraps her leg around his waist, pulling their groins together, eliciting a moan from both of them. Kate lets her head fall back against a shelf behind her, his hand coming up to cushion the back of her head so she didn’t smack it on the wood.

His mouth trails down her throat, leaving hot kisses in his wake, beard scratching against her throat in a way that sends fire down into the very core of her being. She tugs on the hair still clenched in his fist to bring his mouth back to hers where she claims it forcefully, shoving her tongue between his teeth. She strokes her tongue along his bottom lip pulling it into her mouth where she bites down gently. He rolls his hips into her, grinding her against the shelves, which creak from strain.

Suddenly she feels his hand on the waist of her jeans, fingers exploring the smooth expanse of skin hidden by the fabric of her pants. Her stomach muscles quiver at the warmth of his calloused touch. She follows his lead, palming at the stiffness in his jeans with one hand before moving her fingers to the fasten, popping the button open with ease. As she pulls the zipper down, he does the same. Their kissing has trailed off under this new territory, instead they pant into each other’s mouth, breaths coming in short gasps of anticipation.

Kate dares first, her hand slipping down his trousers. She has to laugh breathlessly when she discovers he’s not wearing any underwear. Her fingers ghost gently over the coarse hair before resting lightly against his erection. He moans into his mouth, hand tightening in her hair so hard it should be uncomfortable but instead sends a thousand tiny little jolts of electricity through her. She wraps her hand around him, drawing her thumb over the tip, eliciting a hiss from him that has her own thighs shivering and hips rolling towards him.

His hand slips down her jeans, pulling aside her underwear with impatient fingers, fumbling slightly at her opening before he plunges a finger into her center. The breathy moan that escapes her is lost in the kiss that he captures her lips in. She squeezes her hand around him and they begin to fumble about each other, getting into a rhythm. His other hand wraps around her waist, holding her up and steady as her leg begins to give out on her. She can feel the strong muscles of his arm against her ribcage.

She feels the heat begin to build within her, the edges of her conscious begins to blur, her hand around his erection beginning to loose it’s rhythm, slipping around the precum coating. His own hand is fumbling around inside her, loosing his own mind slowly, both of their breaths sucked from one another in sloppy kisses. Without warning he presses against her sensitive spot and almost instantly her walls are quivering around his fingers. He drops his head to her throat, his teeth grazing the joint of her neck and shoulder as he growls against her as she makes mewling noises into the silence of the library.

As her shuddering dies she picks up her rhythm again around him, it takes but a few pumps of her fist before his hips jolt against her and she feels the stickiness of his release coat her hand. They pull their hands away from each other at the same moment, after both of them have caught their breath somewhat. Kate is sweating, her thick hair sticking to her neck and face. Daryl pulls back just enough that Kate slips down onto her feet again, though his arms circle her waist to keep her upright. She pushes her cheek against his chest as her breathing slows.

She traces nonsensical patterns against his back as the buzzing in their heads quiets. She pulls back after a few moments to look at his face. His usual thin lips are bruised red and full, his eyes are half-lidded and there is a soft smile on his face that is somewhere between triumphant and satisfied. He pushes his forehead against hers, their sweat-damp hair tangling with each other. He captures her lips in a soft kiss.

“Mmm, I might’ve changed my mind.” He murmurs against her lips.

She darts her tongue out to lick against his bottom lip. “’Bout what?” She whispers back, her fingers stilling on his back.

He tightens his arm around her, pulling her in closer as his other hand comes up to brush back the hair from her face so that he could rake his eyes hungrily over her face. “’Bout bein’ your boyfriend.”

Kate snorts.

“Wha’s so funny, Princess?” he smirks, nipping the tip of her nose gently.

“Boyfriend, girlfriend…sounds kind of stupid. How about just: I’m yours, and you’re mine. No need to explain anything else.”

“You’re mine.” He whispers against her lips.

“I’m yours.” She agrees, dipping her head backwards to deepen their kiss once more.

 


	15. Catch a Falling Star

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I am so freaking sorry for taking this long to get an update to you guys. I was simultaneously struggling with massive writer's block and also my school year is winding down, which means lots of essay writing and other work. I sincerely apologize. I promise it's not going to happen again! There are three chapters left, and I promise they're going to come at you rapid fire, I am probably going to be finished with this story in the next three weeks. (Yes, I do mean an update every week, at the least!) I am working at a camp this summer and will have very little internet access until August so I have to get this story finished before then! As I've mentioned I am going to be writing a sequel to this story, which will begin getting published in early August. I will be writing a lot over the summer so be sure to keep a look out. I'll probably try to write the first chapter at least that way y'all can go ahead and follow it so you'll know when I post the new chapter after a few months. Or I'll update this story with a "hey you guys, go check out the sequel which has been published now!" 
> 
> Anyway, I'm also working on two other TWD stories: a Bethyl non-apocalyptic AU and a Rickyl college AU (I know, I pretty much ship Daryl with everyone, sue me. Lol.) Anyway, I'm going to get a chapter of each of those posted by this weekend so you can go ahead and follow them if you like them, but I won't be posting any more on those stories until August either. Thank you to everyone who is sticking with this story, despite my sporadic updates and the slow burn. Haha. I hope you guys like this chapter! There's some good Daryl/Kate interaction as well as some Charlie/Kate interaction, since it's been a little while.
> 
> Next chapter is going to be pretty angsty and from there it's just an all-out downhill angst-fest. So I hope you're prepared and will enjoy!

**Chapter Fifteen**

_Catch a Falling Star_

About a week after the library incident Kate found herself staring up at the underside of her bunk in restlessness. The sun had yet to breach the high prison windows and Kate doubted if it had even risen pass the tree line outside. The prison was quiet except for Rick’s gentle snoring two doors down, the occasional cough from Glenn, and the rustling of sheets as Carl rolled over above her. She had become intimately familiar with the different noises of everyone’s sleep patterns, the motherliness in her using it to keep tabs on everyone in the late evenings or early mornings. It wasn’t often that Kate was the first one awake; usually she stayed up late reading by candlelight and awoke just in time for breakfast. Yet, this morning had her stomach churning in unpleasant, anticipatory knots. Her mind had been buzzing with anxious thoughts all night and she had done everything in her power to keep from tossing and turning.

The sound of Judith’s snuffling snapped her out of her brooding thoughts and she quietly got out of bed. She didn’t bother dressing; she had been sleeping in her black fleece leggings with fluffy white socks pulled up around her ankles, she had on a grey and black loose-fitting long sleeve over her black tank top. She whipped her hair up into a messy ponytail, obviously missing a few strands but not caring as she tip-toed out of her cell and down a few doors, Jack following curiously behind her.

“Wait here,” she whispered to the Australian Shepherd, who cocked his head. She hesitated outside Rick’s curtain, not wanting to disturb him, but Judith’s hungry cries were becoming more insistent and she knew that if she didn’t act fast either he or Beth would be awoken.

She pushed the fading red fabric out of the way and quickly walked over to where Judith was squirming in her crib. She scooped the fussing baby up and turned to leave quickly, pausing when Rick’s snoring hitched and he rolled over. She smiled softly at the sight of him, his hair mussed by sleep and his face more peaceful than it ever was during waking hours. She slipped by him and walked out into the deserted landing. Judith had quieted down sufficiently, content to play with a loose lock of wavy brown hair that hadn’t made it into Kate’s ponytail. She walked around the cell block a few times, her bare feet light on the concrete, knowing how much the prison tended to echo. Jack trailed calmly behind her.

After a few minutes the sun’s rays painted the interior the prison purple. She climbed the stairs to Judith’s day nursery where she knew a few spare bottles and powdered formula was stashed. She made her way down into the common room where she went about fixing a bottle for Judith. She sat down on top of one of the tables and readjusted the baby so that she was cradling her in her arms. Jack jumped up and lay behind her on the table. She had stopped scolding him for the action after she realized no one used the inside tables for dinner very often. She leaned back slightly, using Jack as a backrest. Judith latched onto the bottle and greedily began suckling it down. Kate smiled down at the child, using her free hand to stroke over the soft down on Judith’s head.

She began to hum, and then to sing softly, murmuring the familiar words as she fed the small child. “Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day, for when your troubles start multiplying, and they just might, it’s easy to forget them without trying, with just a pocketful of starlight. Catch a falling—“

“Kate?” Daryl’s sleep heavy voice startled her as he appeared in the doorway to the common room.

She turned her body to look at him as he came towards her, his eyes falling on Judith in her arms as he came closer. His hair was plastered to the side of his head where he’d obviously been sleeping and his clothes were wrinkled so she assumed that like her he hadn’t bothered changing from the clothes he had slept in. He rested a large hand on the back of Judith’s head gently, stroking his thumb against her brow. Judith’s big blue eyes watched him contently as she continued to suckle away at her breakfast.

Kate smiled at him as he turned his gaze to her, leaning forward to brush his hand against her neck. She leaned into the touch, letting her eyes flutter briefly closed. He turned and sat next to her on the table, pulling his crossbow from over his shoulder and laying it in his lap. Jack nudged his arm with his nose and Daryl rubbed a hand over Jack’s white head for a moment before he grabbed his red handkerchief from his pocket and began wiping down the weapon methodically. She watched him for a few moments before her eyes strayed to the unruly bits of hair mussed from his sleep. She raised her hand slowly from where it had been helping Judith hold her bottle up, the young girl was perfectly capable of doing it on her own, and brushed at the locks, attempting to put them in place. Daryl leaned away from her, raising his elbow to knock her hand out of the way.

“Don’t need ya’ frettin’ over me.” He snapped gruffly at her.

She frowned and withdrew her hand, the sorry on her tongue dying before it passed her lips. She knew the word would only set him off. Instead she sighed through her nose and looked back at the little life in her lap, who was beginning to drift off to sleep again. She could feel Daryl’s eyes on her.

 “What were ya’ singin’, earlier?” He asked quietly.

“Just something my mother used to sing to me.” She smiled gently at him, her eyes soft with memory.

“People do tha’ kinda thing?” His eyebrow rose slightly as he went back to cleaning his crossbow.

“Sing to babies? Yeah, of course.”

“Thought tha’ was just in movies 'n' shit…” he said, his voice somewhat confused, an out of place emotion for the sure and steady hunter. “‘Course Beth sings to Asskicker, but she’s always singin’ somethin’.” He tacked on as an after thought.

Kate laughed lightly. “It helps calm them down. Didn’t your—“

“My pa didn’t have time for singing songs between beatin’ on me or my brother.” He snapped, cutting her off.

“Oh. I didn’t—“

"’Course ya’ didn’ know. Never said anythin’ did I?” He growled.

She touched his arm gently; when he attempted to shrug out of her grip she tightened her fingers around his bicep. He looked at her hand and then at her with guarded eyes, his muscles coiled tensely beneath her hand.

“Daryl, you don’t have to tell me anything. I’m not going to ask you. The past is the past. Either it’s too painful or not worth it anyway. Honestly, how much do you know about me?” Kate lifted her hand off of his arm when she was sure he wasn’t going to pull away from her again.

He searched her face for a moment before clenching his jaw and focusing his attention back on his weapon.

Kate sighed and repositioned a sleepy Judith onto her shoulder, burping her gently. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes more as Judith drifted off to sleep, watching as the cell block filled with light. She shivered slightly when a chill ran through her spine at the early morning air; she realized she should’ve grabbed a sweater before exiting her cell this morning. Daryl moved towards her so that his arm was pressed against hers, the rough fabric of his dark jean jacket rubbed against her cotton covered arm. She smiled into Judith’s hair at the small gesture.

“Wha’re ya’ doin’ up so early?”

“Early bird gets the worm.” She said sarcastically and Daryl glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

“Ya’ look tired.”

“Gee, thanks. Just what every woman wants to hear.”

He shrugged, the friction warming her side where they are pressed together. 

She bit her bottom lip before looking down at her sock covered feet. “Couldn’t sleep.” She admitted quietly, her hair falling over her shoulder, hiding part of her face from Daryl. She wasn’t surprised when she felt Daryl push her hair behind her shoulder, though she attempted to lean away when his calloused fingers try to turn her chin towards him.

He sighed through his nose but gave up on getting her to look at him, dropping his hand down to his side. “I told ya’ last night not ta’ worry.”

It was her turn to shrug, her throat closing up as she thought about her own stupidity. She brushed the back of her hand against her eyes, catching the tears building there before they fall. “I know. I just…what if something happens?”

“Shit happens.” He grunted and she spun to look at him then, fire in her eyes.

“How can you say that?” She growled at him in anger. “Be so nonchalant about it?”

“Whadda want me to say?” He bit out at her, turning to match her gaze.

She deflated, her shoulders slumping, causing Judith to move fitfully in her sleep for a moment. “Just…be safe okay?” Her voice is small and she feels horrible for looking so weak. She had really been trying to rein in her emotions in the past few weeks, knowing that no one took her seriously if she was just going to cry and worry all the time.

He watched her with those perceptive eyes. After a moment he moved his hand up to the back of her neck, slipping his hand over her brown curls and pulling her towards him. She meets his lips when he tilts her head. His chapped lips are soft but insistent against her mouth. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to imagine they were somewhere that isn’t a drafty prison. It doesn’t last for long, no more than a few seconds, but it is enough. When their lips disconnect she scoots a bit closer to him and rests her head on his shoulder. His hand falls from her neck after giving it a gentle squeeze and he goes back to cleaning his bow.

 It is a little while before anyone else is awake. When the shuffling sound of people beginning to stir reaches their ears Kate lifts her head and moves away, but not far, their arms still lightly pressing together, mostly for warmth. The relationship between her and Daryl, if it could be called that, had been the subject of the prison gossip ring all week and Kate had learned very quickly that public displays of affection were not on the agenda. Affection in general wasn’t really something Daryl seemed very keen on.

Kate had always been someone who enjoyed things like holding hands in public and the brief, chaste kiss at the parting of ways; she yearned for displays of affection from her partner. Yet, with Daryl she didn’t find herself needing constant assurance from him. The occasional smile alone had been enough in the past week to fill her stomach with warmth. Maybe it was the fact that in this new society she did not feel insecure, the green monster of jealously always had to be tightly restrained back in the Before. Now jealously seemed a silly and far off emotion. She knew that no one else was sneaking off after dinners with Daryl for make out sessions in the library.

It seemed to run further than that though. She had thought those first nights that she was just a way of Daryl getting off, a convenient piece of flesh for which he could work out his frustrations and tensions of the world. And yet, there were little things that made her realize there was something more than physical attraction between them. It hadn’t been until a few days after that first incident in the library that Daryl had really confirmed their mutual feelings in her mind.

She had been walking back from gathering laundry off the fence, carrying a basket full of the newly cleaned clothes. It had just rained the day before and the ground was slick from the run off after the storm. Not being able to see where she was going she had tripped over a clump of mud, falling into the dirt, clean clothes flying in every direction. She had sat in the mud, feeling the dampness settle into her jeans, grime smeared across the side of her face where she hadn’t been able to break her fall since she was holding the basket.

Daryl was over by the barn with Carl and Michonne when it happened. He had appeared at her side before she could even get herself into a sitting position. He had brushed her hair back from her face and asked if she was alright. It had taken her a minute to orient herself, a blush burning at her cheeks from her clumsiness. When she realized that the laundry was strewn about the lawn, not a piece of it safe from the mud she had burst into frustrated tears. Daryl had sat with her, putting a gentle arm around her shoulder while she leaned into him.

 After she got herself together she wiped her face on his jacket, mud and tears streaking across the front of the denim, and sat back on her haunches. Michonne and Carl had wondered over and began picking up the laundry quietly; Michonne kept sneaking glances that Kate caught despite her attempt discreteness, while Carl blatantly stared at the two. Daryl had abandoned her for a moment to help them gather the clothes before placing the basket down in front of Kate and helping her to her feet.

 “Sorry,” she had whispered quietly, looking down at her feet.

“I swear woman, if ya’ ever say sorry to me again for some stupid shit like spillin’ the laundry I’m gonna give ya’ somethin’ to be sorry about.” His voice was colored with annoyance but held an empty threat.

She had smiled sheepishly at him, tears still clinging to her lashes.

He had shook his head and pulled her forward by the back of her neck, kissing her forehead gently. She heard Carl gasp and the subsequent whoosh of air leaving his lungs as Michonne elbowed him. Daryl shot them both a look which had them scrambling away with laughter. Kate had picked up the basket and walked with resignation towards the buckets of water, dreading having to repeat what had taken her most of the day since Maggie, her usual laundry partner, was out on a run with her husband. It was a moment before she heard Daryl’s quiet steps following her.

“I’m fine you know.” She informed him with an affectionate voice, warmed, despite the chill in the air, that he was still concerned.

“I know. Figured ya’ could use a hand.” He nodded his head to the brown stained clothing in her arms.

She raised an eyebrow and turned to him as they reached their destination at the buckets, cocking her hip so that she could rest the laundry basket against it. “Daryl Dixon? Doing laundry?”

“Ain’t like I haven’t done it ‘fore. ‘Sides ya’ need to get outta soaked them clothes.” He gestured to her mud covered jeans.

“Are you going to help me with that too?” She teased as she turned away from him to dump the basket of laundry into the closest bucket. She spun back around only to find that he had taken a step towards her, crowding her against the side of the large tub.

His cheeks were flushed slightly, which she could just as easily attribute that to the chilly winter air, but he was looking at her seriously. “If ya’ want.” He had growled.

 She could feel his voice rumbling in his chest from where they were pressed together.

Flames had licked through her body and spread up her chest and neck, staining everything in its wake red. “I—“ her mind seemed to have gone blank.

He regarded her steadily before stepping back with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Or I could git started while you go change.”

She swallowed around her suddenly dry mouth as she nodded and scurried away from him.

Kate was snapped back into reality when the sound of boots had both of them watching the entrance. Rick appeared, rubbing a weary hand over his face, scratching his beard as he struggled to fully wake up. He paused for a moment when he noticed the couple sitting at the table before he smiled softly and moved over to stand in front of them.

 “Mornin’,” Daryl grunted.

“Good Morning Rick,” Kate smiled.

He nodded to them. “Good mornin’. She bein’ fussy?” He asked, referring to his daughter in Kate’s arms.

“She woke up early this morning and I just happened to be awake. Figured I’d let you sleep a bit longer.”

 “I thank you for that.” Rick held out his hands and Kate unhesitatingly handed him his daughter. Kate smiled as he lifted Judith to kiss her forehead before tucking her under his chin. “You ready for today?” He turned to Daryl, swaying his hips gently as he rocked his sleeping child.

 “As I’ll ever be.” Daryl’s gaze flicked sideways to Kate and Rick’s blue eyes followed the movement.

Rick nodded his head solemnly. “I know it’s not ideal, but we should be back by dinner.”

“Just don’t feel right, both of us leavin’.”

“I wouldn’t want anyone else out there with me,” Rick said seriously, holding the other man’s gaze.

Kate shifted uncomfortably next to the two men as they continued to discuss the plans for the run they were going on. It had been decided a few days ago that the group was going to have to go scout out past where they had ever really been since they had almost depleted most places within a forty mile radius. People were supposed to be leaving in pairs, just driving until they found something, or they had to turn back, marking spots that seemed promising. Kate was signed up to go out with Maggie later in the week. Rick and Daryl were taking their turn first, Rick having volunteered and Daryl being the only person he wanted at his side. Rick rarely left for runs, but he knew that his daughter’s formula supply was dwindling and had taken it upon himself to do something about it.

Kate didn’t like it. The idea of Daryl leaving made her nervous, he hadn’t gone out on his own since his last hunting trip some weeks ago, the weather had been on and off storming for almost a month and the chance of him being able to track anything had been slim to none. They had enough food between what was stocked up and caught occasionally in the snares about the prison that he had been able to take a break for almost a month. She didn’t like the idea of Rick leaving his kids behind either, but knew there was nothing for it.

As the men discussed their plan, pouring over a map of the area that Rick had pulled from his pocket, more people began to wake and soon breakfast was ready. Kate found herself picking at the watery oatmeal in her bowl as Daryl watched her from across the table. After breakfast she walked with Daryl down the well worn path to the gates of the prison, where the car was already parked and waiting, following behind Rick and Carl as the latter complained about not being able to come along. Jack ran in circles around them on the way down to the gates. When they stopped, Kate kicked at the gravel while Rick knelt in front of his son, giving him instructions to protect the prison while he was away.

Daryl’s eyes were on her as she watched the father and son. The two said nothing to each other but the tension was palpable between them. When Rick rose back to his full height, he nodded his head at Kate in goodbye before climbing into the driver’s seat and closing the door. As the door slammed Kate’s heart jumped into her throat. Carl walked slowly over to the pulley chain that opened the gates, tipping his hat back as he leaned against the fence. Daryl chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment, shifting his crossbow uncomfortably on his shoulder, staring at Kate but unable to get out the words.

Kate smiled softly at him before stretching up on her tiptoes and without touching him in any other way, brushed her lips against his scruffy cheek. “I’m yours.” She whispered in his ear before settling back down to her normal height. He blinked at her once before grabbing her upper arms and pulling her towards him. She wouldn’t quite consider it a hug but she breathed in his scent, turning her cheek against the fabric of his poncho which he’d thrown over his jacket. His hands were holding her arms so tight it was almost bruising but she found she didn’t care; feeling him near was worth it.

After a few moments he pulled away, keeping his hands on her, and looked over her head towards Carl, whose sheriff’s hat tipped downwards when he was caught staring. “Whatcha lookin’ at brat?” Daryl called his lips quirked in a half smile.

Carl, out of self preservation, didn’t respond.

Kate peeked under Daryl’s arm, over to the side mirror of the car, where she made eye contact with Rick, who had been watching with an unreadable expression in his cobalt eyes. She held his gaze steadily for a moment before he looked away. Daryl finally released her arms, brushing her hair away from her face as he retreated. “You’re mine.” He promised her quietly.

She smiled sweetly at him and stepped back as he went around to the other side of the car, hopping into the passenger seat and slamming the door. Carl opened the gate and let the car out. The two stood side by side and watched until the car disappeared into the tree line. Kate slung her arm over Carl’s skinny shoulders good-naturedly and they made their way back towards the prison. Carl broke away from her to go towards the barn, presumably to feed the horses. Jack trotted after him, having spent more time in the young boy’s presence than in his owner’s.

Kate found herself outside the clinic cell, where she saw Hershel rerolling a white bandage. It was a morning routine that she’d fallen into since she had cut her arm out on her run a few weeks ago. Hershel cleaned her stitches every day and checked their healing. She pulled her sleeve up to her elbow and sat down on the lower bunk when Hershel turned to beckon her in. He pulled his stool over to her and she held out her arm to him.

“Looks like these stitches are ready to come out, Ms. Hawthorne.” He informed her jovially.

She beamed. “Thank god, they were starting to itch something terrible.” She laughed as he shook his head at her enthusiasm.

He set about gently pulling the stitches from her arm, the rugged black leaving in its wake a long, jagged pink scar that went all the way down the underside of her forearm. The old veterinarian ran a bit of antiseptic cream over the scar, just to make sure any unclosed part of the wound was taken care of before patting her knee. “All patched up, darlin’. Thank you for being a good patient, but I never want to see you in here again.”

She laughed. “I don’t count on it,” she promised before exiting the cell.

Kate realized that she had a bit of a free day today, she’d spent yesterday helping organize the food stores, her arms were sore from moving crates all day with Michonne and she’d managed to grumble enough at dinner that Rick had told her to take it easy the next day. She had been excited at first but as she made a loop around the common area she realized that all she was going to be was pacing like a caged animal. Her mind was buzzing and wouldn’t seem to settle down. She twisted her hands and made another lap around the room. Beth was sitting in the center at one of the tables feeding Judith and watching Kate with big, blue, worried eyes.

Finally she sighed and decided to head outside in search of Charlie. The wind pulled at her untamed hair as she stepped out of the cell block, zipping her leather jacket up and shoving her hands in her pockets as she crossed the courtyard. Her fingers went around the box of cigarettes and she pulled one out, stopping in the middle of the field to light it against the persistent wind.

She cast an eye across the grounds, spotting Charlie and Maggie a few yards away, closer to the fence, doing laundry. She ambled down towards them, puffing on her cigarette as she went. As she got close she noticed Taft and Jack lying curled by one of the buckets that was emitting steam, obviously keeping warm. She raised a hand in greeting before flicking ash off the end of her cigarette. Charlie stopped her scrubbing and stretched, coming towards Kate with an outstretched hand.

“Get your own.” Kate complained twisting away from Charlie’s groping hands as they slipped into Kate’s pocket for the cigarettes without saying anything. Kate watched with a scowl as Charlie lit one and shoved them back into Kate’s jacket.

Maggie had wondered over when she realized that Kate had come over. “Where’d you pick up that habit?” She asked, her nose wrinkling slightly. “Tried ‘em in high school but I never liked them.”

Charlie lifted a shoulder, blowing smoke out of her nose before answering. “Been smoking since I was fifteen. Bit of a rebellion against my mother, and then I could never kick it. Kate got hooked ‘cause of me, though it was always more casual with her.”

“Yeah, thanks asshole.” Kate smiled around her own cigarette. Charlie scoffed and they lightly touched the tips of their cigarettes together.

Maggie watched the two of them for a moment before crossing her arms and shivering slightly. Kate picked up on the movement out of the corner of her eye. “Why don’t you go inside? I can help Charlie with the laundry.”

Maggie looked from one to the other, but once she noticed the relaxed and casual way they were both standing she sighed and nodded in agreement. Charlie and she hadn’t really bonded much; Charlie was a bit quiet and reserved, though not for a lack of Maggie trying. The only time the woman seemed to light up was when Kate was around. It was cause for concern since Kate had spent most of her time following around Daryl…but to be fair, they did a fair amount of following each other around and Maggie could see it was taking a toll on Charlie. So she happily gave up her laundry chore to the best friends and skipped off to find her husband, who was probably on watch.

Kate and Charlie were silent as they finished their cigarettes and got to work. They stood on opposite sides of the wash bins, their dogs lying close to their feet.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been…around much.” Kate said quietly, lifting her eyes briefly to the top of Charlie’s head where she bent over a scrubbing board.

“What do you mean? We live five feet from each other.”

Kate stopped her washing and raised an eyebrow, staring at Charlie until she stopped and looked at Kate. “You know what I mean.”

Charlie lifted her shoulders and began to wash the clothing again. They were quiet for so long that Kate thought that would be the end of it, Charlie wasn’t one for confrontation or heart felt conversations, especially these days. “’M happy for you.”

Kate stopped scrubbing and snorted.

“What? I am. Good for you.” Charlie looked up then, smirking, a mischievous twinkle in her hazel eyes. “At least one of us is getting some.”

Kate gasped and dropped the brush she’d been using to scrub a pair of Carl’s jeans. It landed with a splash into the dirty bucket water, spraying both women and causing Jack to jump up with an alarmed bark. Kate reached out to put a hand around the Australian Shepherd’s white muzzle to keep him from making more noise. She refused to meet Charlie’s eyes, which she could feel watching her, as a blush crept up from under the collar of her jacket to stain her neck and cheeks.

“No way.” Charlie’s voice sounded scandalized, and then she glanced around before lowering her voice. “You mean you guys haven’t…?” She looked Kate up and down suggestively.

“It’s not like that…” Kate mumbled, finally looking at her best friend.

Charlie shook her blonde head and snorted. “Leave it to you to find the one guy who doesn’t realize he might die tomorrow and decides to wait.”

Kate froze and looked down, her eyes began to sting, and she hoped she could blame it on the sharp wind.

“Shit, Kate.” Charlie sighed. “You know he’ll be back.”

Kate nodded her head but didn’t say anything, attempting to get her breathing under control. She grabbed the edge of the bucket with white knuckles. She felt a tug on her elbow and she allowed Charlie to pull her to her feet. Charlie rummaged around in Kate’s jacket pocket before pulling out the carton of cigarettes. She lit one before handing it over to Kate and repeating the process for herself. They stood in silence, their smoke mingling with their breaths in the cold air.

“You do know you’re the one who always smokes to calm down right?” Kate asks as she flicks ash off the end of the cigarette.

“It worked, didn’t it?” Charlie flashes Kate one of her genuine smiles, one that graces her face so rarely these days, they were unique back before but now they are hardly around. Kate smiles back brightly, despite the fact there is still a pressure in her chest where worry wears her down.

“Yeah, yeah it did. Thanks.”

They finished their cigarettes before continuing the laundry. When they were done Charlie wondered off, muttering something about a shower. Kate waved her off before heading towards the eating area to start dinner with Sasha. The two women worked in silence, moving casually about each other in the space as they warmed water and opened canned vegetables for a stew. Kate was in the middle of cutting up pieces of dried rabbit when thunder clapped overhead causing her to jump and the knife clattered to the ground.

Sasha turned and picked it up, handing the knife to Kate with a raised eyebrow. “Why so jumpy? It’s just a bit of thunder.”

Kate shrugged as she took the utensil back and leaned her hip against the counter. “Wasn’t expecting it.”

Sasha’s inquisitive eyes pierced Kate’s and it took everything in her not to glace way. Instead she offered Sasha a placating smile until she was satisfied and turned back to the boiling water. Kate sighed quietly and turned back to the rabbit, tucking a piece of loose hair behind her ear as she worked. A few minutes later, Kate heard what she first mistook as rain pattering on the ground but realized quickly was actually Carl jogging towards them. She cocked her head at him as he stopped at the counter, balancing on the balls of his feet.

“They’re back,” he said, quirking his lip up in a small smile and turning to jog towards where the cars were parked on the other side of the prison.

Kate put the knife down on the counter and turned to Sasha, who was smirking, eyes twinkling with intuition. Kate nodded her head before walking away as slowly as she could. She waited until she passed under the outdoor catwalk to start jogging in the direction of their makeshift parking lot. She saw Carl and Rick, who had his arm slung over his son’s shoulder, slowing down to a walk as they came in sight. Her eyes trailed up and down Rick, noting that he was slightly dirtier than when he had left but in no way looked harmed.

As soon as they rounded the corner away from her she picked up the pace, trotting along until she found the cars. She hovered by the prison bus, watching Daryl from a distance for a moment. He was carrying a crate over to the side door, handing it off to Glenn. They exchanged friendly nods before Glenn disappeared into the depths of the prison with Rick and Daryl’s loot. Kate watched as he slammed the trunk of the green SUV shut and picked up his crossbow, which was leaning against the wheel well.

When he turned around his eyes found hers and he froze for a moment, mid-step. Kate’s breath hitched in her throat. Maybe she shouldn’t be here, maybe she had over-stepped some sort of invisible line. He started forward again, the expression on his face unreadable, his mouth was resting in a thin line and his narrow eyes were sharp and watching her. She pulled at a lock of her hair and offered him a small smile. He stopped in front of her, cocking his head to the side and pulling his bottom lip through his teeth.

“Hey.” He grunted at her, looking down at their feet; his brown and her black boots almost toe to toe.

“Hey yourself.” Kate answered; her voice light, the weight that had settled on her chest easing away with every moment her body registered he was there, in front of her, unharmed. “Everything go alright?”

He hummed in confirmation.

“Hungry?”

He looked up for the first time, squinting slightly.  He nodded at her.

Kate nodded in return and turned to lead the way back, her arms pulled around her torso. She felt something tug her backwards and realized that Daryl had hooked a finger into the hood of her jacket. She stopped and turned back around towards him, lifting an eyebrow at him in question. He shifted from one foot to the other before reaching up and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. His hand snaking around and pulling her towards him.

“Missed ya’ today.”

She tilted her body, leaning into him. “I missed you too.” She admitted.

She wrapped her arms around his torso, underneath the poncho and under his jacket, twisting her hands into his soft button up. The hand on her neck tightened slightly and he snaked his other arm around her, rubbing small circles on her back, brushing his fingers against her hair. She pressed her face into his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. She felt his lips in her hair as he peppered tiny kisses onto her head. They collectively smelt like sweat, earth, and the sharp chill of winter.

They pulled apart after a minute, both of them having drunk in their fill of the other. When they did so, neither of them looked at each other, instead, both of them gazed in different directions. Finally Daryl grunted out a half-convincing: “People are gonna be lookin’ for us.” Kate finally glanced over at him, grinning crookedly and reaching up to readjust the collar of his poncho.

“There. We must look presentable.” She stepped back with a smile.

“C’mon,” Daryl said with a quirk of his lips, slinging his arm around her shoulders casually, pressing a kiss into the side of her head. “Let’s go.”


	16. Do Not Go Gently

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, howdy! So here's the new chapter. I'm sorry it's a bit shorter than the others but I got everything I needed to get into it, so there is that. Be warned, minor character death ahead! Let me know what you think! The next chappy is going to focus on and explore Daryl/Kate's relationship a bit more. And then there is only one chapter left! I can't believe we've almost made it to the end already! You guys have all been wonderful and I hope you enjoy the next two chapters as I bring this story to a close and I hope you will enjoy the sequel when I get it started in a few months. Also, I know I flipped perspectives like half way through this and it might be a bit jarring since the rest of the story has been from Kate's perspective and I'm sorry for that but it was impossible to write it with Kate's mental state where it is during this chapter. You'll see what I mean...

**Chapter Sixteen**

_Do Not Go Gently_

 Kate stared hard down at the page before her but was having just as unsuccessful time reading it as she had for the past twenty minutes. She sighed in frustration and wiggled around in her chair, causing Daryl to look up at her from behind his red playing cards. She could feel his eyes on her but refused to meet his gaze. She felt his strong fingers grip the top of her boot and squeeze her toes where her feet were propped up on his thigh under the table. They were sitting at one of the metal picnic tables in the common room after dinner; everyone was gathered around playing cards or chatting to each other, though Maggie and Glenn were off on watch.

Everyone was there…except Michonne, Sasha, and Charlie who were due back from their run any moment. They had been gone most of the day and Kate had attempted to have the busiest day she possibly could, balancing taking care of Judith all day on top of laundry duty and cooking both breakfast and dinner. She had practically snarled at anyone who had tried to help her and her nervous energy had the others giving her a wide berth. She’d been quiet all day; she didn’t remember saying anything since she had offered Charlie a goodbye this morning. Taft lay by her feet. He had been whining on and off all day, this was the longest he had been quiet as of yet. It had put Jack on edge as well, both of the dogs having stuck close to her.

She figured she shouldn’t be as angry and nervous as she was; she had left Charlie at the prison alone more times than she could count and honestly Kate was surprised Charlie had stuck around this long without trying to make a break for it. Kate realized she should probably be glad that Charlie had taken the initiative to volunteer for the run; it was one they’d made several times into a town not that far away, going for supplies that they knew where there after past trips.

Still, her stomach had been a ball of knots all day. She hadn’t even spoken to Daryl, though she had given him a quick kiss that morning when she’d passed him on her way back from seeing Charlie off. She figured he knew that she was just being antsy and wasn’t annoyed with him. Maggie had looked stricken when Kate had snapped at her to get away from the laundry earlier and Kate had stumbled upon her whispering quietly with Daryl a few hours later as she carried clean laundry back into the prison.

Kate sighed again and turned the page without have even registered what was printed, her eyes lazily skimming the pages in front of her. Maybe poetry wasn’t the best choice to keep her mind occupied. Normally she relied on fantasy to disappear from the real world for a while, but she realized somewhere in the back of her mind that she wanted to stay as alert as possible.

“Go fish,” Carl said in response to Daryl’s inquiry.

“Dammit, man.” Daryl grumbled as he added another card to his already very full hand. “When’s ya’ old man gonna let me teach you a real man’s game?”

Carl laughed and shrugged one bony shoulder, bumping Kate from her spot next to him. The two sat facing Daryl.

“Ya know how to play?” Daryl’s gaze flicked from the teenager to the woman.

“’Course I can play goldfish.” Kate’s voice sounded strange as she finally looked up at Daryl, her eyes narrowed at him to let him know she saw right through what he was trying to do.

“Do ya’ wanna play?”

“No, thank you,” she said tersely flipping the page again and burrowing her nose back in her book.

A bang like a gunshot echoed around the room, causing Kate to jump, dropping her book as her feet slid out of Daryl’s lap as he half stood up, reaching for his crossbow which had been lying next to him on top of the table, looking for the cause of the noise. Taft lifted his head and Jack softly woofed in confusion.

“Shit,” he cursed, stepping out from behind the bench.

The room had fallen silent in wake of the disruption and Kate turned to follow Daryl’s gaze which was locked on something behind her. When she found what had made the noise her stomach dropped: the sound had been the door being swung open haphazardly. In the gloom of the setting sun Kate could make out Michonne and Glenn holding a limp form in between them. Michonne was covered in blood and red was starting to seep into Glenn’s shirt as well. Kate was out of her seat and stumbling towards them before she even realized it. It wasn’t until she felt a strong grip on her arm that she stopped, watching with unwavering eyes as Michonne and Glenn hurried across the room, someone calling out for Hershel. The corners of Kate’s world went dark and she felt her knees begin to give way when she recognized the blonde head lolling between the two supporters as the trio passed her.

“C’mon,” Daryl growled low beside her. His voice sounded far off and she let out a strangled noise, collapsing into his side. He reached his arm around her waist, letting go of her bicep to get a better hold of her before shaking her slightly. Her head snapped around and looked at him. “C’mon.” He repeated more firmly. “Gonna be alright.”

Kate could only nod as Daryl half guided-half dragged her forwards towards the cell block where the three had disappeared, leaving murmuring in their wake. Glenn was standing outside the medical cell with his arms crossed and his normally tan face pale. When Kate’s desperate eyes met his he looked down, reaching out a hand and squeezing her shoulder but not saying anything. Kate pushed away from Daryl and stumbled into the cell, practically collapsing on the bed where Michonne had laid Charlie’s prone form. Taft was already tucked between the wall and his owner’s body.

There was blood everywhere. The red stained Charlie’s blue and green flannel and her brown suede jacket was dark with the liquid. Kate leaned over her friend, running a shaking hand through her hair. She heard two more people come into the cell. There were whispers behind her but she couldn’t focus on anything except the shallow rise and fall of Charlie’s chest. Her friend’s head was turned away from her where most of the blood was coming from and she couldn’t tell what the wound was.

There was a strange tinkling sound and Kate looked up in time to see Rick clicking the hand cuffs around Charlie’s prone wrist with a solemn expression. “No,” Kate choked out but the words were nothing more than a whisper. Rick’s deep blue eyes found hers and his frown deepened. He left without saying a word, his hand trailing across Kate’s arm in a small gesture of comfort. Kate turned and watched him go, seeing Michonne and Daryl leaning against the bars of the prison both of them with downcast faces.

“Is she—“ Kate was cut off when Charlie groaned and rolled her head so that the wound on her neck was exposed: where just that morning had been a smooth expanse of collarbone now was a gaping hole. Kate recognized the bite immediately. “Bit.” The word was no longer a question and died in her mouth almost before it was out. Kate grabbed Charlie’s free hand, bringing it to her lips and kissing her bloodied knuckles, tasting the salt and not knowing whether it was from the blood or the tears that at some point had started flowing from her eyes.

She reached a shaky hand up and stroked Charlie’s blonde hair back from her pale face before leaning over and resting her forehead gently against her friend’s cheek. The fever scorched the skin of her forehead where it touched Charlie’s flesh. Kate forced her arms under Charlie’s ribcage and pulled her towards her. Charlie’s head lolled forward and rested against Kate’s collarbone. She could feel the warm blood begin to seep into the front of her shirt but she didn’t care. Hot tears fell against Charlie’s neck, mixing with the blood. Kate jumped and leaned back when a hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see Hershel perched on his stool next to her. “Do something!” She sobbed at the old man who was watching her with eyes like melted ice, his mouth drawn down in a long frown.

“You know I can’t. All we can do now is make her comfortable.” Hershel raised his hands in a placating gesture. She noticed he was holding a rag.

She eyed the fabric for a moment before she lay Charlie back down and reached for it. Hershel handed her the rag, pushing the bucket of water she hadn’t noticed until then towards her with his good foot.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Hershel got up and Kate listened to his strange gait as he left.

She could feel Daryl’s silent presence behind her. His boots dragged across the floor as he walked towards her, pulling the stool that Hershel just vacated back a few inches and sank down onto it, running a hand through his hair before he leaned back against the desk. Kate ignored him in favor of dunking the rag into the water, rigging it out, watching with detached fascination as it tinted pink from the blood on her hands. She set about methodically cleaning Charlie’s face, ignoring the wound as much as she could. She hummed a bit in her throat as she worked, sinking into a stupor.

She lost track of time, she didn’t know how long she sat there, hunched over Charlie. Knots were forming in her back but she dismissed the pain. After a while she abandoned the rag in favor of sitting with Charlie’s fingers knotted in both her hands, staring intently at the rise and fall of her friend’s chest, listening to the rattling breaths. Kate was beginning to think that Charlie would never regain conscious. Something shifted inside Kate and she felt her heart seal up at the fact that she would never hear her voice anymore. Just when she lost hope Charlie stirred, her fevered eyes locking onto Kate’s face.

“Hey baby,” Kate whispered quietly, her voice soft and strong. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was surprised at the steadiness of her voice.

“Katie?”

“I’m here.” Kate squeezed Charlie’s hand and felt her attempt to return the gesture, watching as her bicep flexed.

“Got a cigarette?” Charlie wheezed before coughing.

Kate shook her head. “You can’t smoke indoors, silly.”

“Yeah. That’s true. I hate that.” Charlie sighed and her eyes drifted close. 

Kate’s breath stopped as she realized that Charlie may be finished talking to her. She wanted to shake her, slap her, throw the bucket of bloody water on her…anything to make her wake up and speak to her again. Instead she just sat still—she could have sworn that even her blood stopped moving in her veins.

Charlie coughed and opened her eyes again, locking her gaze with Kate’s. “Remember when I told you about my dad?”

Kate blinked, emotions rushing up into her throat so that all she could do was nod.

“Don’t ever tell anyone.” Charlie sighed.

“I won’t.” Kate smiled a bit, reaching forward to tuck a piece of Charlie’s short hair behind her ear. “Hey, Charlie. Guess what?”

Charlie made a noise that could have been taken as a questioning sound but was probably just a groan.

“I love you, bitch.” Kate whispered, smiling.

“I love you too.” Charlie said, her eyes fluttering closed. “Bitch…” her voice faded slowly and she inhaled deeply, her chest expanding. She held it for what seemed like eternity, before expelling her breath in a long sigh. Taft whined softly.

Kate heard Daryl shift in his seat, could feel his presence edging closer.

Charlie’s chest didn’t move again.

Kate didn’t know what she had expected. It was over so suddenly. One minute she had been talking to her best friend, using their pet name for each other, an on going joke between them…the next she was staring blankly at Charlie’s lifeless body. She felt ice run through her veins, starting at the top of her head and oozing down into her body, curling up in her toes. She squeezed the still warm hand clutched in her arm but made no other movements. She felt Daryl rest his hand on her shoulder but she didn’t even flinch, it felt as if there was a wall between them.

“Ya’ might want to go.” His voice was soft but insistent and she finally turned towards him, confusion in her eyes.

“Why would I leave?”

“Gotta…” he trailed off, gesturing towards Charlie’s head. She realized his knife was already in his hand.

“I’ll do it.”

“Kate—“

“I’ll do it.” She repeated her voice firm. She put her hand on his and pried the knife from his fingers.

His expression was unreadable, his crystal blue eyes searching her own steady gaze. They stared for a few moments at each other, neither of their gazes wavering. Finally he nodded and relented the knife to her. She flexed her fingers around the handle, repositioning it so that it fit comfortably in her hand. She stared at the weapon for a long moment. Daryl finally stood, leaning over to brush her braid off her shoulder and kiss her on the top of the head. “I’ll be right outside.”  Daryl whistled once and Taft jumped off the bed, his tail tucked between his legs and followed him out of the small, cramped cell.

It was done before Kate could really even think about it. There was no option. It was just a fact of life now. She stood up slowly, turning to leave the cell when she noticed a white sheet folded on the edge of the desk. She walked over and fingered the scratchy, threadbare fabric. She gripped it in her hands, dragging it off the desk and letting it fall open. She shook it once, before throwing it over Charlie’s body. It settled slowly, until only Charlie’s bloodstained blonde hair was sticking out from the top. Kate watched the blanket for a moment until red began to seep through the fabric. She turned on her heel and left the cell.

Daryl was standing outside, just like he said, crouching on the ground, his head bowed over Taft who was sitting between his thighs. He looked up when he heard Kate exit the cell. She walked passed him without even looking at him. Daryl stood up and followed after her. She made her way into the common room, ignoring the stares of everyone who had gathered solemnly. She could hear Daryl’s footsteps behind her as she walked out of the prison and towards the gate that led to the field.

“Where ya’ goin’?” Daryl questioned but she didn’t answer, instead grabbing a shovel from where it was leaning against one of the planters without pausing in her determined trek. She opened the gate, fumbling with the lock for a moment before wrenching it open. She stalked through without bothering to close it. Daryl shut it behind them before jogging to catch up with her. She came to a stop at the edge of the field where several crosses were already planted in the soil.

She rested the shovel on the ground and put her boot against it, pressing it into the dirt. The ground was hard from the cold. She pressed harder, feeling sweat begin to gather in her hairline. She stood back, releasing the shovel which stood straight out of the ground. She shrugged out of her jean jacket and threw it to one side.

“Kate, wait till mornin’. Ain’t gonna get no where with the ground like that.” Daryl said from where he was standing off to the side watching her in the dark. “’Sides ya’ can’t see a damn thing out here right now.”

Kate’s only response was to look pointedly to the moon, which was shining brightly, three quarters of the way full, stars twinkling in the deep blue of the early evening sky. She rolled up the sleeves of her sweater and took the shovel back, digging a small chuck of dirt out of the ground. This went on for about half an hour, Kate shedding various layers of clothes until she was down to just her tank top, sweat glistened on her pale shoulders casting an almost ethereal glow on her. At one point her ponytail holder slipped from her hair and the brown locks spilled around her face as she worked.

Sweat coated her hands, causing it to slip on the unfurnished wood, the sting of blisters and splinters were nothing in her numbed mind. She just continued on. She made little progress, getting maybe only a few square inches of ground in the time she’d been frantically working. Each time she shoved the shovel into the ground she grunted with the force, her teeth gritting together.

“C’mon Kate, let’s get you cleaned up.” Daryl tried again after a while.

Kate continued to ignore him. Her features were set in a determined frown, her eyes weren’t even watery. Daryl didn’t know much about women but he knew that after going through something like Kate had been through not crying was about a hundred times more alarming than tears. Tears were acceptable. The stoic look that was plastered to Kate’s face made Daryl extremely nervous.

After about an hour Daryl had decided he’d had to do something. He had never been one who was good with comforting but he knew he had to try. He reached out and laid a hand gently on her shoulder, covering the black and white four-leaf clover with his calloused hand. “Kate, that’s enough.” He attempted to make his voice firm but comforting, squeezing the back of her shoulder.

He was only somewhat expecting her to swing around with the shovel raised at his head. He removed his hand from her shoulder and caught the shaft of the tool as she snarled at him. Her eyes flashed in the moon light and she looked like a ghost. He made a split second decision to take control of this situation; something in his gut telling him what he was doing was the right thing. He yanked the grave tool from her bloodied hands, pressing his forearm against her chest when she made to take it back. She howled at him in rage, knocking her small fists against his sternum. He tossed the shovel as far away as he could without moving and snatched her arm as she attempted to go after it.

She struggled with him for a few moments, her hair flying around her face as she fought to get out of his grip. He kept his hand caged around her arm, holding her still but not pressing down into her flesh, his hand easily entrapping her. He felt the struggle leave her almost as if it was a physical entity. She dropped, boneless, to the ground and would’ve fallen flat on her face if not for Daryl having expected it and held her up by the bicep. Her knees hit the ground and she hung her head, hair brushing the dewy grass. There was a beat where they stood frozen like that before Kate began to sob, her whole body shaking, vibrating up Daryl’s arm.

Daryl knelt down, releasing her arm and she collapsed against his chest. He held her for a few moments, his fist tangled in her hair. He could feel her cold fingers against his biceps; her bloody face was tucked against his chest. “Let’s get ya’ cleaned up.”

Kate keened loudly in response, clutching Daryl closer. He sighed and shifted his weight so that he could get his arm under her knees. He scooped her up, holding her to him as she hiccupped against his leather vest. He had to put her down to open doors but once they were inside the prison he sighed in relief to see that most everyone had gone to bed, though he was no fool and knew that Kate’s sobs, no matter how muffled by his shirt, would echo around the cell block.

He hurried down into the bowels of the prison. When they reached the showers he deposited her on one of the long benches where she promptly crumpled onto her side and pulled her self into a ball, she made no more noise but stared at the opposite wall, tears dripping down on to the concrete floor. He got the water pumped and came over to her. He manipulated her into sitting up and raised an eyebrow. “Ya’ gonna help me any here?”

Kate blinked at him, a tear slipping down her cheek.

He sighed and knelt in front of her, unzipping her boots and removing them, taking her socks off next and tucking them into the shoes. He looked at her wearily for a moment, holding her mulit-toned gaze before gripping the bottom of her black tank top in both hands. She moved her arms and raised them over her head, her hands hanging limply as if they were too heavy for her to hold up. He whisked the shirt off in one tug, keeping his eyes on her glistening, tear stained face. She collapsed against him, turning her face into his neck, hot tears pressing into his collarbone. He rubbed his calloused hands up her bare back, attempting to stop their shaking. This was not the time to be thinking about the fact he was about to have her naked for the first time under very different circumstances then he would ever have imagined.

He sighed, his breath stirring her hair as he unclasped her bra. She let it fall off her arms with indifference. Finally having regained some form of mobility, she stood, Daryl backing up quickly and averting his gaze as she bent to take off her pants and underwear. She walked into the shower cubicle as if in a trance and Daryl silently thanked the fact that they had finally figured out how to get mildly warm water. He collapsed on the bench himself and rubbed a hand over his face. He sat there with his head in his hands until he heard the water run out. He heard nothing coming from the stall and Kate made no move to leave. He sighed and grabbed one of the towels from the pile at the end of the bench and walked to where she was.

He pulled the curtain to the side slightly and poked his head through. “Kate?” He could see her back, covered mostly by tangled hair that looked black in the darkness reaching almost down to the dimpled skin just above the curve of—he looked back up and cleared his throat, feeling a burn in his face. She turned to him then and Daryl sighed when he took in how her face was still streaked with blood, obviously she had just stood under the stream of water. Her hands where clenched under her chin, pressing her breasts down and obviously shivering. “C’mere.” He whispered softly, speaking to her as he would to a frightened animal.

She stepped forward and he pushed the curtain away with his shoulder opening up the towel, which she stepped into. He wrapped it around her, the large towel completely covering her. He squeezed her hair in one fist, shaking the access water out of it. She stood still while he attempted to dry her slightly. He used the corner of the towel to wipe the remaining blood from her face. Once she was semi dry she slipped away from him to put her clothes on. He turned his back as she dressed. When he heard her stop shuffling around he turned to see her standing in the middle of the empty room looking completely lost. He walked up to her and put his hand on the back of her neck, guiding her to the exit.

When they reached her cell he walked her in and pressed down on her shoulder gently so she would sit on the bed. She kicked her shoes off and curled onto her side facing the wall. He pulled the covers out from under her and draped the red fabric over her. He pulled her hair off her shoulder and laid it on the pillow behind her, smoothing it down onto the fabric. It was going to be a tangled mess in the morning. He straightened up to leave when she shot a hand out and snagged his wrist, turning slightly, so that she was looking at him.

“Stay?” she requested quietly, her eyes flitting away from him.

He glanced towards the opening of the cell in a knee jerk reaction. Daryl Dixon had never really cuddled before. Sure he’d let her sleep on him up in the tower after the wedding, but it had been cold and he’d allowed himself the excuse of body heat. But here in the prison, whose concrete walls kept out most of the chill he didn’t have the same excuse. Yet, he found himself nodding and toeing off his boots, discarding them next to hers before stripping off his leather vest and hanging it from the top bunk post. The mattress sunk as he lowered himself, brushing her hair away from the pillow so that he wouldn’t roll on it in his sleep and pull it. He settled onto his back, tucking his outside arm behind his head.

She kept her back to him for a moment before turning, covering both of them with the blanket. She draped her arm across his chest and snuggled into his shirt, gripping the fabric between her fingers. Daryl found himself tucking his other arm under her head, so that it rested on his bicep and he reached around to rest his hand on the curve of her waist. He felt a single hot tear drop onto his collarbone and then heard no more from Kate. He idly played with the ends of her damp hair until he drifted off to sleep.


	17. Perseus and Andromeda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm starting to update all my stories, and of course I had to start with this one. I am adding two more chapters to this, I'm sorry for that. I thought I was going to be able to finish in just one more, but the story demanded I draw it out for two more, at least, but I very much doubt it will be more than that. This part of Daryl and Kate's story is coming to a close. I've started working out the bits for the sequel but it may be a while before it comes out. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I really like it, it may seem a bit slow, but the mood of this one was supposed to be slow and drawn out. I hope you enjoy! And I promise quicker updates in the future, hopefully once a week at the vary least! I am so thankful to all of you who have left kudos, comments, or bookmarked this story. I appreciate all of you, it's for y'all this story has gone as far as it has and I'm happy to say that this is going to become my first long fanfic I've ever actually completed. So don't fear! You will get the end of this story before the end of August for sure. Thank you again for all the support.

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Perseus and Andromeda**

When Kate awoke she felt more content then she could remember being since…well since long before the world had gone to shit. A deep, warm feeling was settled inside her, cozying up behind her heart and curling in her stomach. In her semi-conscious state all she recognized was the fact that she was wrapped up with another body in a small bed.

“ _Daryl_ ,” her half-awake mind supplied to her, whispering the name across the back of her eyes like a caress. As she began to come back to her body she felt where her head was tucked under Daryl’s chin with one of her arms slung across his chest, wrapped around his ribcage. Their legs had weaved together in the night, twisted with the intricacy only lovers were capable of. She could feel one of his arms behind her, his hand tangled gently in her long, slightly damp hair. She made a small, sleepy hum. Nuzzling her face into his collarbone, she sighed. Almost simultaneously he moved his hand from her hair and began rubbing her back with a gentle graze of his knuckles. His other arm came around and stretched over to interlock his fingers together, effectively pinning Kate to his side.

She opened her eyes, staring out over the plane of his flannel covered chest, towards the expanse of grey horizon that made up the far wall of her room. She closed her eyes again, lashes brushing against the thin skin of his throat. He rubbed his chin against her hair, and she knew he’d noticed she was awake. She opened her eyes again. Blinking rapidly before tensing slightly; Daryl was in her bed. Daryl Dixon was in her bed.  Why was Daryl in her bed? Wasn’t he going to care what people would think?

What would people think?

What would Charlie think?

 _Charlie_.

Kate stiffened as the whole of last night came flooding back to her, drowning her in more emotions than she imagined herself capable of dealing with. She vaguely felt Daryl’s arms constrict around her as if he could block out the memory by sheer force of will. He must know she was remembering by the way she grasped at his shirt, turning her face against his chest, opened mouth panting against his flesh. She remembered, all of it in crystal, earth shattering detail.

Charlie’s bloodied body carried by Glenn and Michonne. The bite mark. The shuddering breath…shoving Daryl’s knife into her best friend’s skull.

Kate turned her face in Daryl even more, curling her fingers into the flannel, tugging it closer to her face as hot tears fell from her eyes, gathering in the hallow of his throat. She sobbed, deep, shuddering sobs that seemed as if they were building in her belly, catapulting up her chest, and spewing forth with force so great it shook her entire body. She didn’t know how long it was before she felt anything besides the soul-aching pain that was twisting her insides like snakes. She began to slow her panicked breaths, allowing Daryl’s warm embrace to anchor her back down to the present. She could not let herself fall apart now, falling apart meant distraction, and distraction meant death. Charlie would never forgive her if she allowed herself to unravel. Although just thinking her friend’s name sent a jolt of heart-stopping electricity down her body. The tears finally subsided, leaving her feeling empty and hollow. The angry storm inside of her had settled into a sea of smooth, glassy waters.

Daryl’s arms relaxed around her and he brought his hand up to her face, pushing away the hair that was sticking to the drying tears. She reached up with her hand and wiped the remaining fluid from her skin, sniffling as she did so.

“Ya’ can use my shirt if ya’ want,” Daryl’s voice was gravelly and soft from sleep.

Without speaking she tugged his collar towards her, wiping at her eyes and then his throat, cleaning up the gooey mess she’d left that was some horrible combination of tears, mucus, and saliva.

“I’m—I’m sorry.” She said as she did the best she could to mop up her pain from his tanned skin.

He reached a calloused hand up and grabbed her own, wrapping it around and tugging it way from his shirt, pulling a little at her hair with his other hand. She got the hint and shifted around so that she could blink at him through glassy eyes, already on the verge of tears again. He used both hands to wipe the sensitive area, tears spilling onto his fingertips like drops of dew. He threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled him down towards her, kissing her gently and pressing their foreheads together.

She let his breath fill her lungs. Let his kiss fill her soul. She lay back down and curled against him. “We’re gonna have to get out of this bed some time.” He pointed out to her but made no move to act upon it.

“I know.” She whispered, voice still hoarse from crying. “How long have you been awake?”

“A coupla hours.”

She sighed. “What time is it?”

“’Round noon I reckon.” He answered nonchalantly.

“Noon?” She felt her heart give a painful squeeze. “Why didn’t you…you could’ve left. I know there must be things to do.”

“Rick came in earlier while ya’ was still asleep. Said we both got the day off.”

She felt him shrug underneath her. She hummed into his neck.

“’Sides, ya’ know, we gotta—we gotta decide what we’re gonna do.” Daryl’s voice was cautious, as if he was instructing someone how to dismantle a bomb, soothing but firm.

“Do? What do you mean?”

“About—Charlie.”

She couldn’t help but jerk at the sound of her friend’s name. He immediately tightened the arm wrapped around her waist again. She sighed and then nodded her head, propping herself up on her elbow and untangling her legs. Daryl sat up, his sleep mussed hair sticking up in all directions at the back of his head. She sat up too, curling her legs under her, the blanket wrapping around her waist; she realized Daryl hadn’t actually used it at all since it was completely covering her. She brought her hands up and ran them through his hair, combing the knots out gently and then leaning in to give him a soft kiss.

“You need a haircut,” she told him against his lips.

He grunted in response.

She pulled back and he opened his eyes, blinking hair out of them as he did so. She raised an eyebrow at him. He merely shrugged and began unbuttoning his shirt, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. She watched him stand and finish with his shirt before he turned to her. She was a mess, perched in the middle of the bed with her eyes shining from unshed tears. Her tangled, dusty brown hair fell in waves about her shoulders and she looked pale in the shadow of the bottom bunk. He leaned down to brush his lips against hers once more, cupping her cheek gently as he did so.

“I gotta change, you gonna be okay for a few minutes?” His crystal blue gaze held hers steadily, seriously.

She nodded at him, furrowing her brow to show her commitment to being alright without him.

He kissed her forehead before pulling away. When he reached the doorway he turned. “You should probably change too.” He mentioned before slipping out and leaving her in the muted brightness of her room. She looked down at her shirt, realizing it was still stained with Charlie’s blood. She pulled it over her head with hysteric, jittery movements, ripping part of it in haste to get it off. She threw it on the floor where it slid a few inches, tossing up dust before settling against a wall. It didn’t matter anyways; she was going to burn it. She kicked her blanket off and then her pants, tossing them with fury towards the shirt. They smacked the wall and crumpled down into the pile.

She stood in the middle of the room, chest heaving for a few moments before reaching into her bag and drawing out her fleece leggings, slipping them on, warm and comforting. Without Daryl, the chill of the room began to make its presence known and she quickly tugged on a tank top before pulling her blue sweater over it. All of her movements seemed angry and defiant, like if she just stomped around long enough all of this would go away. She knew somewhere in the back of her mind she was acting like a petulant child, but it was what she needed to do. If she was going to be strong when she walked out of her cell, then she was going to have get through whatever this was before Daryl got back.

She finally sat down on her bed with a huff, the prison mattress squeaking below her. It was only then she spotted the golden tail peeking out from the end of the bed. “Taft.” She called quietly and the tail beat against the floor once. “Taft, come here.” The golden got up and turned towards Kate, hopping up next to her on the bed. “Oh, Taft. I’m so sorry.” She whispered as she stroked his soft fur while he whined. “It’s alright. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.” Kate ran her fingers over and over the dog’s pelt, the rhythm at first quick and frantic but slowly turning into a soothing stroke as Taft lay down, placing his head and one paw on her thigh. She studied the top of his head, not allowing her eyes to move from it until she heard Daryl come back in the room.

He was wearing his blue button up from the wedding that she liked so much. It was duller now, and splattered with stains, but that did nothing to impede the way it brought out the color of his eyes, eyes which where focused intently on her as he came back into the cell. Over it he was wearing a thick, knitted jacket, his angel winged vest topping off the look. “It’s cold out there, ya’ might want to bundle up.”

She threw a dirty look at him before sighing and getting off the bed, Taft jumping down to go over and sniff around Daryl’s feet. She grabbed her leather jacket off the top bunk and zipped it halfway up. “Better?” She growled at him.

He took a step towards her, hooking his big hand in the crook of her elbow and pulling her to him. He reached around and tugged her hair gently from between the fabrics, attempting to smooth the curls down her back. “Much.” He said, quirking his lip up slightly but the motion didn’t reach his eyes.

“What now?” She asked in a voice smaller then she meant as he placed his hand on the back of her neck, guiding her out of the cell.

“Gonna bury Charlie, give her a damn good send off.”

Kate tripped slightly at the mention of Charlie’s name but managed to nod. It was quiet as they made their way outside. Kate could see a few people gathered around by the edge of the fence where more crosses than there should be stood in a line. They walked towards the end of the row of homemade crosses where Rick, Michonne, Carl, Sasha, Glenn, Maggie, Hershel, and Beth holding Judith all stood. On the ground to the right of a large hole was something, or someone Kate realized, wrapped in a grey blanket.

Daryl released her as they got closer and Kate knelt next to the body. She reached out and brushed her fingers along the pink-tinged blonde hair that was sticking out of the top. She leaned forwards, pressing her forehead against where she knew Charlie’s would be. It was a good thing the cloth covered her face, for Kate didn’t know if she could handle seeing her friend’s bloodied but peacefully sleeping face. She looked up when she heard footsteps approach. Michonne had come around to stand by Charlie’s feet. With a nod Kate moved so that she was crouching on the other side of Charlie’s head, pushing her hands under Charlie’s cold shoulders. Michonne gently wrapped her fingers around Charlie’s ankles and together they lowered her into the grave. Michonne hopped out elegantly, as if she had had much practice at the act. Kate realized she probably had.

Michonne turned and gave her a hand as Kate scrambled out, surprising her when she was on level ground again by pulling her into a hug. The woman smelt like grass, and the scent was oddly soothing. When Michonne stepped away Daryl took her place at Kate’s side, not really touching her, but she could still feel his presence like a weight. Everyone stood for several long seconds, staring steadily at Kate before she realized what they wanted. They wanted her to say something. Something about Charlie. A eulogy. She was supposed to give a eulogy.  

“I—“ Kate started and then stopped, looking around unsurely. She made contact with Rick’s steady gaze and he gave her a slight nod of encouragement. She shot him a flimsy smile, twisting her hands together in the cold. “Charlie would probably hate this kind of thing. She wasn’t really one for heartfelt gatherings or confessions. At least not to the naked eye. Yet, Charlie was one of those people that felt things, you know? She really felt things in the very bottom of her soul. And I know she felt for all of you; she cared about this place, the people here. She wanted to be a part of this community and she, if she where here, would thank you. Charlie was my best friend, it wasn’t always easy, I think sometimes we got on each other’s nerves more than got along. But thank you, Charlie, for being the best possible person I could ever want to be stuck at the end of the world with. I love you.” Kate pulled her hands apart and stuck them deep into the pockets of her jacket, wrapping her hand around the carton of cigarettes there.

Rick stepped forward and bent down, picking up a handful off the fresh pile of red dirt that had been recently dug for the grave. He sprinkled it on top of the blanket, as it fell it sounded like muffled rain on a rooftop. Each person standing around the grave took their turn before all eyes turned to Kate. Instead of walking towards the pile, where Rick and Glenn were already standing at the ready with shovels, Kate dug a cigarette out of her pocket and unsheathed her knife. She laid the cigarette in her open palm, gently sliding the tip of her knife down the length of the white paper. The wrinkled pieces of tobacco spilled out onto her palm as she pocketed the knife and gently removed the paper and filter from the cigarette. She closed her hand before stepping forwards and turning it upside down, dropping it into the grave, pieces of tobacco fluttering silently down to lay amongst the soil and cloth.

When Kate stepped back the decipherable sound of shovels scooping dirt could be heard and piles of earth began to cover Charlie. As this happened the little funeral began to break up. Maggie reached her first pulling her into a fierce hug that Kate couldn’t find quite enough strength to return. She whispered condolences in her ear and pecked her cheek before striding away. Beth gave her a more gentle hug, kissing her cheek and lifting Judith up to the do the same. The small child grabbed onto Kate’s face and left a slobbery mark along her jaw line. Hershel squeezed her shoulder, offering her a small, sad smile that made Kate’s heart want to shatter. Michonne and Carl did not approach her but they exchanged solemn nods as the two headed away. When they finished Glenn and Rick came towards her. Glenn gathered her up in a hug, smelling of fresh dirt and pine. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his collarbone for a moment before allowing him to go and catch up with his wife.

“I’m sorry for your loss. Charlie was an asset to the prison. We are weaker without her.” Rick’s rough voice was grounding as he grabbed her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. It surprised her at first, but then she remembered Rick was a family man, Rick was someone who didn’t like watching other people get hurt. Kate realized in that moment: she and Charlie were family. After the thought struck her, it was not hard for her to wrap her arms around the man’s thin waist.  They stood like that for a moment, taking strength from each other, as family does, before she pulled away. Rick squeezed her shoulders before looking past her to exchange a nod with Daryl, who she knew was hovering just behind her. Rick reached passed her to presumably grip Daryl before he strode away.

Kate sighed and ran a shaky hand through her hair. She felt Daryl step closer and she turned around burying her face in his chest without preamble. He wrapped his arms around her, pinning her to him. “Ya’ got anymore of them smokes?” He asked.

She huffed a laugh into his shirt before stepping back and pulling out the carton, flipping the cardboard lid back with her finger. “Two left.”

“Imagine that.” Daryl commented.

“The luckies.” Kate said, her voice surprised as she recalled something from long ago.

“Luckies?” Daryl snorted.

“Yeah, don’t you know? One for good luck and...” Kate trailed off, feeling a blush begin to rise on her cheeks despite the cold. “One for a good fuck.” She finished sheepishly.

“Is that right?” Daryl raised an eyebrow, examining the two cigarettes that were turned upside down in the carton. “Which one is which?”

“That’s the point.” Kate giggled. “You never know which kind of luck you’re gonna get.”

Daryl snorted at her before pulling one out, flipping it around in his fingers before sticking the filter side in his mouth. Kate copied him, shoving the box back in her pocket, before pulling out a lighter and lighting them both up. They smoked in silence, finishing the cigarettes slowly, savoring the company and the quiet, despite the monotone noises of the dead coming from just a few feet away. When they finished Daryl looked around before turned back to Kate with his head slightly cocked, pushing the toe of his boot into the freshly repacked dirt.

“Whatcha wanna do now?” He asked her, peeking at her from under his mop of brown hair.

“Honestly?” Kate said, her breath hitching slightly in her throat.

Daryl pulled both his lips into his mouth, chewing on them, but nodded his head.

“I just want to curl up in the library with a good book and read.”

“A’righ’. Lemme just grab some things and we’ll go down there.” Daryl said, turning to leave as if it was a done deal.

“Wait, you don’t have to come. I know you’re not a huge fan of books.” Kate reached out for him and then dropped her hand, chewing on her lip and looking at the ground.

“Well, that’s why I’m goin’ to the armory ta’ grab some guns that need cleanin’. Don’t worry your pretty little head ‘bout me, Princess. I ain’t leavin’ ya’ side today and there ain’t a damn thing ya’ ca say that’s gonna make me.” Daryl crossed his arms.

Kate’s mouth opened as if to say something else, but then she closed it and sighed. She didn’t want to argue with Daryl, she didn’t have the energy. And if he was so set on spending all day with her, even though she knew he would probably hate it, she wasn’t going to say anything. Instead, her stomach decided to speak up, rumbling loudly in the lack of conversation. Daryl’s eyes flickered down to her midsection when she grabbed at it reflexively.

“And after the armory I’mma get’cha some damn food.” He stepped towards her again before she could protest, pushing her hair back behind her ear and kissing the top of her head. “Now, git on with cha, I’ll met ya’ in the library.” He turned and started away, she watched him for a moment, his angel wings bright in the afternoon sun.

She brushed her hand against the cross that Carl, self-promoted cross-maker, had tied together with frayed, red fabric. “It’s alright, Charlie. I think I’m going to be okay.”

A few days later Kate found herself sitting upon the wooden fence of the horse corral, hands shoved deep in her the pockets of her leather jacket, nose tucked into a holey red woolen scarf Glenn had found on a run. He’d given it to her without much fight when she asked if it was for anyone specifically. People had been walking on eggshells around her, barely looking at her and always refusing to let her help with anything. Everyone just shrugged her off when she offered to help or asked if there was anything to be done. It was maddening. So she’d spent most of her time sitting out with her horses in the bitter cold, watching the Grimes boys work on a few outside projects. Most of the plants had died during the first cold night that they’d had, and the ground was practically solid with a layer of frost now. Daryl had mentioned he figured it was sometime in December a few days ago and all Kate had been thinking about since then was Christmas time.

She never really had any real attachment to Christmas despite the fact it was a good time to get presents and a nice excuse to visit family. She watched as Carl laughed when his father playfully knocked his sheriff’s hat off. Kate frowned into her scarf, thinking about how Carl would never experience a Christmas again, how little Judith would never know one to begin with. Judy would never even know when her birthday was, most likely getting the same answer that Kate had gotten a few weeks ago when she’d asked the stupid question. Which was a vague “sometime in the late spring.” They only knew that because they’d been on the run all winter, finding the prison only after a grueling season. It was strange to think how different things were now, how different people were, and how different she was. Kate knew how to use a gun now, somewhat accurately. She had killed. Her friends…and monsters. Everyone she had known was either dead or somewhere she could not reach them, and probably never would again.

Kate jumped a little, jarred from her thoughts when the top panel of wood vibrated under her. Her hands flew out of her pockets to grip the unfinished wood in balance. She looked down to see the top of a felt hat, beneath it two blue eyes looking at her sheepishly. Jack, who had been lying by her feet, jumped up and licked at the boy’s hand while he reached down to pet the Australian Shepherd.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to knock you off.”

“You didn’t.” Kate’s voice was muffled in her scarf when she answered the boy, turning her head to stare at the horses in the paddock. She caught the movement out of the corner of her eye when Carl laid his arms on the top rung and put his chin on his forearms. Kate smiled a little behind the cover of the maroon fabric. They were silent for a few minutes, just watching the animals much on the yellow hay spread beneath the overhang that provided them shelter.

“Do you mind if I sit with you for a little while? My dad had to go inside but I didn’t want to yet.” Carl asked, looking up at her hopefully. Jack lay back down at their feet, putting his white head on his paws contently. Kate nodded without looking at him. He sighed and clambered up onto the fence next to her. Kate bit the inside of her cheek to keep from reaching out to steady him; the young man probably wouldn’t take to kindly to that. Instead, once he was settled she shoved her hands back in her pockets. They sat close together, unconsciously huddled for warmth. Kate figured Carl had something on his mind, but he didn’t look like he was going to say anything so she didn’t push it. Kate hadn’t felt very chatty these past few days, which she assumed was what was putting everyone on edge. Only Daryl had been unaffected by her selective muteness; well, maybe not entirely for she thought he had been talking more in the last week then she had heard him talk in the four months she’d known him.

Percy finally decided to trot over, whilst Flame and Annie continued eating side by side, unaffected by the loss of their third party. Percy shook his head as he neared, almost knocking Kate off the fence, but she laughed quietly and buried her fingers into Percy’s mane, which had gotten quite out of hand, she would have to pull it soon. Carl stroked Percy’s whiskered nose his still slightly pre-pubescent chubby face thoughtful.

“Did you have Percy and Annie…before?” Carl asked after Percy had lost interest and gone back to join his herdmates.

Kate shook her head, though her lip twitched in a half-second smile as she realized what he was trying to do, in an almost more adult way than any of the actual adults. She realized it was because for the past three years he had learned to navigate the churning waters of grief that everyone lived in a constant state of. She sighed and lifted a hand up to pull the fabric away from her face; it was brutally attacked by the cold the second it was exposed. She could feel her nose already begin to redden like she was sure her cheeks already were. “We found them on an old farm probably twenty miles from here.”

“We?” Carl asked with a small smile as he glanced at her slyly out of the corner of his eye.

“My friend Ben and I…and…and Charlie.” Her tongue felt as if it was attached to the heavy weight that her heart had turned into but she swallowed past it and flicked a tiny smile Carl’s way. “Charlie hated Annie at first,” Kate said, laughing a bit as she suddenly recalled the memory that felt like it had happened in another life time. “Annie knocked Charlie right on her ass and Charlie refused to ride her home, so Ben had to do it…and he was scared out of his wits. Men always are when it comes to horses.” She chuckled and shook her head.

“My dad rode a horse all the way into Atlanta when he was looking for me and my mom. And Glenn rode all the time at the Greene farm!” Carl argued but then paused before chuckling. “Daryl’s a really good rider…except that one time he fell off.” Carl added with a smirk.

Kate snorted a surprised laugh. “Please tell me someone was there to witness that.”

Carl shook his head, sobering up. “No, he went out looking for Sophia, she was part of our group. My friend. She was my age.”

Kate frowned as she looked over at the strong young man next to her. She snaked an arm around his shoulders and squeezed. He wrapped his arm around her waist and they sat like that for a few minutes, watching Glenn and Maggie walking the perimeter in the distance. Carl moved his shoulders and they broke apart, both curling back in on themselves.

“So, who named Flame?” Kate asked, though she already had a pretty good idea.

“Me.” Carl smiled. “He looked like fire when we first got him, his coat was all shiny and golden red…and it sounded cool.”

"Flame is definitely a tough name.” Kate agreed.

“What about Percy and Annie?”

“I named them of course.”

“No offense, but those aren’t cool names at all.” Kate elbowed the skinny boy in the ribs in retaliation of his response and he laughed, pushing her away and they both chuckled as they regained their balances.

“They’re nicknames; I guess their full names are Perseus and Andromeda.”

“Perseus…and Andromeda? What kind of names are those?” He wrinkled his nose to punctuate his distaste.

“You don’t know who Perseus is?” Kate exclaimed in shock. “I’m going to have a word with your father later.”

“That’s a person? It sounds like a vegetable.”

 Kate snorted. “I guess it kind of does. No, Perseus is a Greek name. Specifically Ancient Greek, he’s a demigod.”

“Demigod?”

“Yeah, like Hercules.”

“Oh, he’s a son of Zeus and that sparkly pink chick?”

“Well, kind of. Demigod means half-god really.” Kate explained. “Perseus was Zeus and a mortal queen’s son. He was shipped away from his mother though because his surrogate father, the king, didn’t know he wasn’t his.”

Carl’s face darkened for a second and he opened his mouth like he was going to say something but then he just sighed and nodded his head. “What happened? And who’s Andro-whoever?”

"Andromeda.” She corrected. “Do you want to hear the myth?”

“I guess so,” He shrugged, but she could see the gleam of interest in his eyes.

“Well, Perseus had a lot of great adventures he defeated Medusa and was gifted Pegasus.”

“I thought Pegasus was Hercules’?”

“Stop interrupting.” She chided. “And don’t believe anything in Disney movies. They’re all wrong.”

Carl stuck his bottom lip out in a half pout but he remained silent.

“Anyways, Andromeda was a beautiful maiden with raven hair and pale skin. She was so beautiful in fact that her mother, who was a queen—“

“Was everyone in Ancient Greece royalty?”

“Only the ones in the stories.”

“Well that’s dumb,” Carl stated in confidence. “Who wants to hear a bunch of stories about people you can’t relate to?”

“Well, a lot of hero’s were hidden away when they were young, raised with unsuspecting mortals to keep them safe.”

“Like Superman?”

“Yes, are you done with the questions?” Kate smiled.

Carl nodded.

“So, anyways, Andromeda was so beautiful and the queen was so proud of this beauty that she claimed her daughter was more beautiful then Poseidon’s own daughters, who were nymphs of the sea and gods in their own right, the Greeks had a lot of gods, I mean a lot. So, Poseidon, of course, got angry at this. Poseidon was probably the least vengeful of all the gods, but his brother Hades was a bit of a meddler and he talked Poseidon’s ear off about how wrong the queen was, and how she should be punished. His daughters, the nymphs, were outraged themselves, and so Poseidon gave in to his beautiful daughters like any good daddy, and created a monster who began to terrorize Aethiopia, which was Andromeda’s kingdom.”

“That’s a bit of an overreaction.”

“The Gods were known for their over reactions.” Kate responded.

"How do you know so much about them?” Carl asked curiously, twisting his body to look at her.

“I studied Mythology in college. I have a doctorate in Egyptology, the study of Ancient Egypt.”

“Cool.” Carl said, tucking his fingers farther into his armpits.

Kate reached out and readjusted the hood on his jacket, bringing it around his ears and neck so it resembled some sort of half scarf.

“So what happened next? I mean, after the sea monster.” 

“Well, the king and queen became fed up with the monster terrorizing all their ships; Greece was made up of a bunch of little islands off the main coast, so they sailed a lot. Like…a lot. So this wasn’t very good for business. I guess they did what any rational parent would do in that situation so as a peace offering to the gods, and to sate the monster’s appetite, they decided to give up Andromeda to the monster.”

“How?”

“Andromeda was twice as kind as she was beautiful and she had spent many of the last nights crying for her subjects who had been lost at sea because of her mother’s arrogance. So, when her parents came to her with chains in their arms she allowed them to take her and shackle her to a rock not far from the castle, in the middle of the water.”

“I would’ve fought them off, the assholes sold her out!”

“Watch your language.” Kate chided with a smirk.

Carl rolled his eyes.

“Would you not sacrifice yourself for people you cared about?”

Kate followed Carl’s gaze towards the prison’s strong walls and she knew he was thinking about the people inside. She was too.

He half shrugged. “What happened?”

“Well, this is the part where out trusty hero comes in. Perseus had just acquired Pegasus, who was his trusty flying steed and they were taking a cruise ride over the ocean, seeking adventure as heroes are wont to do when they heard Andromeda’s crying. Perseus flew over head and saw Andromeda in all her beauty, chained to the rock. He landed Pegasus near her and asked what was happening, when she told him of her mother’s claim and her people’s plight at the hands of the monster, Perseus vowed to help. So he defeated the monster when it arrived to claim its sacrifice and freed Andromeda. They were married soon after and ruled a kingdom for years to come. One of their descendants was Hercules, but that’s a story for another time.”

“That’s awesome. You’ll have to tell me more about Hercules. And I want to know how Perseus got Pegasus!”

"Maybe another time.” Kate laughed but her heart soared with his enthusiasm, it felt lighter then it had in quite some time. She forgot herself how much she missed the familiar characters from the legends. She made a note to herself to talk to Rick about a story night for the kids. It’d be good for them to hear some stories about victory of good, though she may have to edit some parts—Disney-fy them—so that they were more appropriate.

She was snapped out of her erratic thoughts by someone clearing their throat behind them. She and Carl twisted around at the same time to see Daryl standing a few paces away, his leather jacket zipped up and his shoulders up around his ears. Kate’s face burned despite the cold and she was glad for the chill in the air that kept her cheeks and ears continuously rosy.

“Hey, Daryl!” Carl waved in greeting, swinging around and hopping down off the fence. “Thanks, for the story Kate but I’ve got to go.” Carl looked between Kate and Daryl before trotting off, Jack following faithfully at his heels.

“How long have you been standing there?” Kate asked quietly as Daryl stepped towards her.

“Long ‘nough to hear most the story.”

“Perseus and Andromeda, it’s a good one.” Kate answered, looking down at his boots shyly. “I always liked the legends. They were so interesting, and they have so much layered into them.”

“I ain’t never had much time for stories, but I kinda liked tha’ one.” He stepped closer, resting his hands gently on her hips; she moved her legs so that he could step between them and press his face into her jacket.

“Mmm,” Kate hummed in reply, bending forward so that she could press her cold nose into the top of his head. “It’s not a story, it’s a myth.”

“Same difference.”

“No it’s not.” She argued, but there was no heat in her voice.

He moved back a step, causing her to straighten up. He lifted an eyebrow as they stared at each other. “Alright, Ms. Know-it-All. It’s a damn myth, if it makes you happy.”

She frowned at him. “You don’t have to agree with me, just to keep me from being upset.”

Daryl tugged at her hips, causing her to yelp and yank her hands out of her pockets in an instinctive reaction as she fell forwards. She braced her arms on his shoulders and he lowered her to the ground with a smirk and a mischievous glint in his clear blue eyes. Once her feet touched the ground she pushed against his chest in frustration, she broke the circle of his arms freely and she began to walk away but he caught her around the waist and pulled her back. She giggled despite herself and allowed herself to sink against his chest. He pulled out the elastic of her braid and began working out the woven pieces of hair with one hand.

“I ain’t agreein’ with ya’ ‘cause I don’t want ya’ to be upset. I’m agreein’ with ya’ ‘cause I know I’m wrong and you’re right.”

“And don’t you ever forget,” She threatened into his jacket. She could hear his rumbling chuckle in his chest.

“Yeah, yeah, ya’ women always right.”

“When we’re discussing literature and history, I’m always right. If we’re talking hunting and weapons, I defer to you every time.”

"Damn right.” Daryl growled in agreement.

She laughed softly, circling her arms around his waist, underneath his jacket to keep her hands warm; they hadn’t really had any luck with gloves on the last few runs. “Give and take. Just like any good relationship.”

Daryl tensed in her arms. She stepped back so that she could look him in the face, though she kept her hands around his waist and his was still carding gently through her tangled hair.

“Did I say something?” Kate pried, though she knew exactly what had triggered his reaction. Daryl shook his head, biting his lip and avoiding eye contact with her. She twisted her body slightly so that she could look into his downcast eyes. “Daryl, look at me, it’s alright. I’m sorry. I won’t…I don’t need to call it a relationship if you don’t want.”

Daryl removed his hand from her hair so that he could bite at his thumbnail. “Ain’t that. Just…ain’t ever been…been in one. Ain’t that I don’t like it.”

Kate smiled and stood on her tiptoes so that she could kiss him gently on the lips. He tasted warm and comforting and she allowed herself to melt, quite literally, into the kiss. She could feel her nose warming up where it rested against the curve of his. She broke the kiss and rubbed her nose against his a few times, attempting to get the blood flowing back into the tip. She laughed and buried her head into his chest when she pulled back and saw the owlish look in his wide eyes as he stared at her as if she had just grown another appendage on her face.

“Sorry.” Kate muttered into his vest, her face starting to burn again. He tangled his hand in her hair and tugged softly. She knew he was reprimanding her for apologizing. “Sorry,” she mumbled again, not knowing what to say.

She felt his nose in her hair, snuffling around like a dog and she realized he was warming his nose against her head and she huffed a laugh.

“Ya’ smell like horse.”

“That’s what happens when you spend your day with the animals because they don’t avoid looking at you out of pity.” Her voice was bitter and she spit the words like poison from her tongue.

Daryl chuckled.

“It’s not funny.” Her voice whined a bit more than she intended.

“I like when ya’ get riled up. Ya’ got quite a temper on ya’.”

“My mom was a redhead. Temper runs in my blood.”

“That explains it,” he muttered as if he’d truly figured something out about her. They stay like that for a few more moments. Kate closed her eyes, burrowing herself closer to him in an attempt to fight off the cold. Daryl had twisted both his hands beneath her hair, next to her scarf. She could feel the scratch of his calluses against the soft skin on the back of her neck. “Kate?” Daryl shifted and Kate leaned back so that she could look him in the eyes.

“I gotta tell you somethin’. And I ain’t want ya’ to get mad, alrigh’?” Daryl’s face was serious and it made Kate tense up. She eyed him wearily for a moment before sighing.

“I can’t promise that.” She said carefully, and when his nostrils flared in frustration she unwound her arms from around him so that she could place them on his chest, where she could feel his heart beating furiously. “I may be mad, about what you have to tell me. I can tell by your heart rate that you’re nervous about it.” She half smiled in her attempt at teasing, but it fell flat against Daryl’s shielded expression. “But,” She started, trying to find the words to explain to him. “Even if I’m mad, I won’t be forever. Don’t worry.”

Daryl shifted from one foot to the other before releasing his hands from the back of her neck, he grabbed one of her hands in both of his, turning it over so that he could stare at her palm instead of her face. “Ya’ know the run that Charlie was on, with Michonne…when she was bit?”

Kate nodded her head slowly, her heart dropping into her gut as she began to see where this was going.

“They was goin’ to get clothes and some food…and baby supplies.” Daryl started. “When they were attacked. They…well, they left all the shit behind and I’m goin’ ta’ go get it. With Glenn and Ty. I have to, otherwise Charile would’ve died in vain. We leavin’ at dawn.”

Kate yanked her hand out of Daryl’s with such force that she stumbled back into the wooden fence behind her. Daryl stepped forward as if to catch her but she held up her hand. “Don’t. Don’t touch me.” Her chest heaved and her eyes shone with unshed tears as she felt the fear in her gut rise up as if it wanted to spew forth from her lips. She closed her mouth and swallowed determinedly.

“Kate.” Daryl’s voice cracked as he searched her face, desperate to find a way around the shield that had dropped around Kate’s normally kind and expressive face.

Kate stood up straight from where she had been leaning against the fence. Daryl stepped back to give her space, her eyes were hard, as if the tears that had threatened to spill just a few seconds ago had been sucked in by some physical force. “Good luck on your run.” She said to him but her voice was devoid of any sort of emotion and her eyes seemed to look straight through him. 

“Kate!” Daryl called as she began walking away but he had learned in the last few years, spending more time with women then he had in his entire adult life, that going after her now would only illicit more anger from her. The best thing he could do was return safely from the run tomorrow. He knew she must be frightened, but he was not. He knew he would come back. He was not worried about that at all. He had to come back.

He had to come back to her.  


	18. Say Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Look at us, getting so close to the end! I can't believe it. Although, the last chapter will probably be a little bit later. I'm planning on writing the final chapter, as well as the first chapter to the sequel and getting them up at the same time, that way I can link to the new story for anyone who wants to continue reading. It's crazy to think we've already come this far. Just so you know, fair warning, this chapter contains smut. This chapter, honestly, is mainly smut, so if that's not your thing you'll be able to know when it starts and then you can just skip towards the end. (There's something there you'd probably want to read! After all the smutiness is over.) That being said, this is only the second time I've ever written smut, so go easy on me. I hope y'all enjoy and that I am doing justice to the closing of this story. Thank you to everyone who commented, left kudos, or bookmarked this story! 
> 
> *also: I do not own Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, or the first line of said novel (obviously.) Those belong to JK Rowling, thank you.

Chapter Eighteen

Say Something

To say that she was pissed would probably have been the understatement of the year. The whole prison had turned up to wish the trio going on the run that morning well. Most of the people couldn't help but come say goodbye after tragedy had struck on the last run; it was like a strange compulsion to see the people leaving, just in case. Honestly Kate found it rather morbid and had only reluctantly agreed to come at the Greene sisters' insistence. Although she decided to turn up it didn't mean she had to be happy about it. Everyone had watched, embarrassingly, as Daryl had tried to reach out and pull her into a hug. She had side stepped around him, ducking under his outstretched arm to give Glenn a kiss on the cheek and Michonne a fleeting hug before retreating back to the group of well wishers. She could feel Rick's disapproving stare on her back as she huddled between Maggie and Beth for warmth.

Tyreese had opened the gates solemnly as the group departed. Most of the remaining personnel began making their way back up to the prison, chatting idly about the admittedly shitty weather. Daryl had told Kate a few days ago he figured it must be somewhere in the middle of December, if the biting chill of the wind and consistently gloomy skies were anything to go by. Kate stood watching the dirt road that led out into the trees long after the charcoal pick-up truck had disappeared and most everyone had dispersed. The only other person who stood with her was Maggie, their shoulders pressed tightly together. Kate kept her nose tucked into her thick scarf while Maggie babbled about nothing in particular for a little while. Kate watched Tyreese as he climbed up into the guard tower to await the trio's return.

After a while of Kate being unresponsive Maggie gave up and headed back inside. Kate stayed for a little while more, impervious to the cold as she stood in the middle of the large field. Suddenly, she felt the press of something solid and warm against her leggings and looked down to see Taft panting happily up at her. She took her hand out of the depths of her pocket and stroked his head before finally turning and heading inside the marginally warm walls of the prison. Since it was so depressingly cold out most everyone had opted to take the day off. There were still a few poor souls, like Tyreese, out on watch and patrol, but besides that people were cooped up in their cells.

When Kate entered the main room of C block there were quite a few people lounging about. Hershel sat in a corner, massaging the stump of his leg, looking up and gracing her with a small smile. She raised her hand and managed to twist her lips up in response. Beth appeared from one of the doorways, walking over to her father and handing him a wet cloth which he laid across the mangled pink flesh below his knee. Kate watched as Hershel stroked Beth's cheek fondly and kissed her forehead. Kate's eyes wandered around the room, landing on Carl who had a comic book in one hand and his other wrapped around his little sister, who was asleep against his chest.

He looked as though he'd been practicing the position and Judith was finally cooperating, he had a faint smile on his face and occasionally his eyes would drift down to the top of Judith's strawberry colored hair. Jack was lying soundly at Carl's feet; Kate had pretty much resigned as Jack's owner since the dog could hardly be separated from the boy. She had talked to Rick about it and they were planning on officially telling him in a few days, as a Christmas gift.

Kate had wanted to do something nice for the children and she'd employed every adult she came in contact with to try and give up at least something little that they had, donating it to an ever growing pile of knick knacks that were currently overflowing one corner of her cell. Daryl had grumbled about it for the past few days whenever he would leave her cell in the evenings, tripping over some miscellaneous item or another. Kate had found it hilarious.

Thinking of Daryl made Kate's jaw clench and the warm, soft smile she had been wearing evaporated from her face. She strode over to Carl, who looked up as she approached, tilting his hat back so he could see her face. When he did so his own expression hardened somewhat though his eyes were open and curious. "What's up, Kate?"

"Would you mind keeping an eye on Taft for a while? I need to…" She paused and chewed on her lip for a second but Carl was already nodding in understanding; sometimes the kid's perceptiveness surprised her, but with Rick for a father it was the least she could expect from him.

"Sure thing, he'll be a good boy. Won't you?" Carl directed the last part towards Taft, who had already, lay down next to Jack and was wagging his tail softly back and forth over the concrete floor.

"Thanks," Kate said and turned on her heel, heading across the room and down one of the corridors. She wound her way through the semi-darkness towards the library. Once she was inside the room she found her plan to be alone had been somewhat thwarted. There were several children, as well as a few adults she vaguely recognized from around the prison, that were scattered about the normally abysmally empty room. On any other day she would have been ecstatic to see how the people of the prison were finally embracing the library and all the worlds it had to offer but today, today she just wanted to be alone with the books.

Thankfully whoever was in charge made sure the children were quiet and actually reading. Kate trailed her fingers along the shelves occasionally stepping over spilled piles of books that she made a mental note to clean up later. She finally plucked the book off the shelf she had been looking for, finding its familiar spine with ease. She went over to the red leather chair that she had come to think of as her regular reading spot and thankfully found it empty, although the littlest Samuels girl, Mika, was perched in the windowsill just above it.

Kate settled in to read and fell into her book, drowning out all sounds and movement outside the world of her story. She was startled out of her trance by Sasha, who was placing a candle in the windowsill, which no longer held Mika. Kate blinked and rubbed her eyes, using her finger as book mark as she looked around and realized the library was empty. She swiveled around towards Sasha, glancing out the window behind the other woman's head to find that the unmistakable cover of darkness had come upon her without her knowledge. "What time is it?"

"Past dinner. I tried to bring you some, but there really wasn't anything left over." Sasha shrugged one shoulder in apology.

"It's alright, I'm not hungry." Kate flipped her book open and settled back down in her seat, where her legs were hanging off one arm of the chair while her back was pressed against the other.

Sasha shook her head and pursed her lips before moving across the room towards the door. "By the way, they're not back yet."

The words twisted in Kate's stomach but she struggled to keep her face blank and impassive as she reread the same line four times, without it registering once. After a moment of feeling Sasha's eyes bearing into her she heard the door close and her shoulders relaxed slightly. She turned the page, vaguely noticing that her hands were shaking as she did so. She took a deep breath and struggled to lose herself back in the world of the literature in the candlelight.

It was quite a bit later, though if Kate was honest with herself she had no idea how long exactly had passed, that she heard the door open again. The sound immediately pulled her away from her book yet she did not move, keeping her eyes downcast on the black words which danced slightly in the flickering light. Her ears were focused on any movement from the doorway but she heard nothing for a few minutes. She refused to look up, her fingers clutching the pages as she struggled to maintain her illusion of being lost in her reading.

She didn't know what she would find if she looked up. Would it be Rick's tormented face, come to tell her another one of her friends, her family, had been taken? His solemn blue eyes haunted with grief? Suddenly, she saw fingers closing around her own and looked up, jumping slightly in shock that someone had managed to make it all the way across the room so soundlessly, but when she glimpsed a flicker of cobalt blue and felt the rough fingers against the back of her soft hand her heart dropped into her chest in relief.

"Daryl," she breathed as he crouched on his haunches in front of her, removing his hand from hers.

"Kate, I had to go. I had ta get the supplies. Everyone's fine, everyone's just—" He was cut off by Kate leaning forward and capturing his lips with hers. Her book fell between them as she twisted around to put her feet on the ground in front of him. He was still against her for a moment, surprised by the contact he thought he wasn't going to receive, but Kate just wrapped her arms around his neck, bending over to reach him properly, threading her fingers into his hair. After he recovered from his shock he let his hands trail up her thighs as he shifted forwards so he was on his knees in front of her, pushing back towards her and deepening the kiss. She hummed and smiled against his lips as he tangled his hands in her thick, wild hair. She moved forwards as his hands wrapped around his waist, pushing him backwards into a sitting position as she crawled off the couch and into his lap in one fluid movement.

He wrapped his arms around her back, squeezing tightly as he broke the kiss to bury his face in the crook of her neck. She could feel his hot breath through her blue sweater. She carded her fingers through his tangled hair, comfortingly, as he held her. They sat like that for a long time, her straddling his lap on the floor with him holding her. Finally she pulled his face way from his hiding spot against her neck and turned it up to face her, brushing the long strands of dark hair out of his eyes. She could barely make out the features of his face but his blue eyes were sparkling as he looked down, avoiding her gaze. She smiled softly and kissed his nose with a short brush of her lips. The deed got the reaction she wanted as he flicked his eyes to hers.

She sat back slightly as she felt his grip on her loosen some. "I'm not mad." She rubbed her hand down his neck and placed it gently against his chest, she could feel, beneath the rough fabric of his poncho, his bounding heartbeat. She smiled softly and scanned his face. One of his lips was cracked and she ran her finger over it with a frown before leaning over to press her lips gently to the small bump that was forming from the injury. "I'm not mad, I was scared."

He hummed slightly at her, not entirely convinced. She moved her hands so that she was gripping his shoulders, she could feel the strong, taut muscles beneath.

"I couldn't be mad at you. But I was terrified. I was so scared I would never get to see you again, to kiss you again." She leaned forward to brush her lips against his where he parted them slightly, their warm breath mingling. "I would never get to nag you about getting a haircut." She pulled gently on the long strands by his ears and he smirked slightly, just a quick upturn of the corner of his mouth but she caught the movement.

"Never get to hear you say my name again." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Princess," he responded in his soft, gravelly voice.

She rolled her eyes. "Never have you tease me again."

"I shouldn'ta left." Daryl said, squeezing the flesh around her hipbones tenderly.

"No, you should've. Because that's who you are, Daryl."

He turned his head away from her, gazing into the darkness beyond the candle's small glow. She used her finger to pull his attention back to her, though he refused to make eye contact with her again. "It is," she confirmed resolutely.

"You don't know nothing 'bout me."

"You're callous, and rude, and closed off." She listed in a deadpan voice, getting what she wanted when he looked at her with narrowed eyes. "But you're also selfless, and you're brave, and you would do anything for your family. It's what I admire and love about you."

He grunted but didn't say anything.

"I missed you while you were gone today," she whispered, leaning into him, pressing them chest to chest. "I miss you whenever you're away, but I won't ever ask you not to leave. Not ever again."

He closed the distance between them and crashed their lips together. Kate was not surprised and eagerly sank into the kiss, their tongues played together like flames on an open fire, the feeling all consuming for her. She managed to wedge a hand in between them and pushed Daryl backwards so that he was lying on the thick carpet. He looked at her in confusion and, she noted with amusement, a pout. Before he could do anything to stop her she pulled her sweater over her head, or, well, tried too. She got stuck about halfway through in her haste as it bunch up under her chin. She struggled for a moment before she felt Daryl's hands come and slide up the outsides of her arms, catching the fabric and tugging it slightly as she tilted her head back.

The bulky material was tossed haphazardly away and Kate met Daryl's eyes as he lay his head back down, though his hooded blue eyes were watching her. She sat there for a moment, attempting to breath through the erratic beating of her heart as he just…stared at her bare torso dressed only in her simple black bra. It almost looked as if a faint blush was covering his cheeks but she played it off as a trick of the light.

After what felt like forever, he moved one of his hands from the safety of the fabric around her hip, tracing it up the curve of her side. She shivered slightly at the feeling of his warm hand against her chilled flesh. Suddenly, he reached around her back and flipped them over, so that he was leaning over her. She squealed and broke out into giggles as they settled into their new position. They didn't move for a while, Daryl just tracing up and down her side with his calloused finger.

"Your turn," she demanded, snaking her hands between them to grab his poncho, which he allowed easily over his head. She lay it down next to them before turning back to him.

"That's not fair," she complained as she noticed that he was wearing a jacket as well as a shirt under that and, if she knew him at all, a white undershirt beneath all the rest. He sat back on his haunches and shrugged out of his leather jacket, dropping it on the ground behind him before unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off to join his jacket, revealing a final layer just as she suspected. It was Kate's turn to watch with coy eyes, although Daryl refused to meet her gaze. Instead of finishing the job, he leaned back over her in search of a kiss.

"All of it," she chided, putting her hand against his chest to stop the descent of his lips from reaching her.

"No," he ignored her, ducking his head to kiss beneath her chin.

"Daryl," she complained good-naturedly before moving her hands behind his back and down his spine, gathering the worn material of his top in her fingers. Suddenly she felt a bruising pressure on her wrist and realized Daryl had grabbed one of her hands with a growl. She let go of the fabric and he pulled away from her, sitting back. She sat up, her legs still spread on either side of him, massaging the wrist that he had clamped down on.

He watched her for a moment, tense and masked, his face stone. Just as quickly as the flash of anger had washed over him she saw it leave as he dropped his shoulders and reached out for her. She flinched slightly but allowed him to take her hand in his own. They both dropped their eyes to the pink tinge of her wrist. "I'm sorry," he apologized and she could feel the heaviness of his regret in his voice.

She took her hand out of his and grabbed his face on both sides; he reached up and placed his large, heavy hand on her wrist attempting to drag her away.

"Stop, don't. I don't deserve—"

"Daryl, look at me," she commanded, cutting him off, though her voice was soft.

He dragged his eyes back towards her, as if they were weighed down and it took everything in him to meet her gaze. She smoothed a thumb across his cheek, feeling the prickle of his beard against the pad.

"I'm not forcing you. If you don't want to do this, we don't have to. It's as simple as that." She shrugged slightly and bit her lip. "Though, if that's the case, I need to put my sweater back on, 'cause it's freezing." As if to illustrate the point a shiver ran through her.

Daryl instinctively wrapped one of his hands around her back and pulled her towards his chest, where she nestled against him and listened to the pounding of his heart.

"Not that I don't—" Daryl said above her, though she could hear his voice through the rumbling of his chest.

"Then can I do this?" She asked, pulling back from him and twisting her fingers in the bottom of t-shirt. She watched in fascination as he visibly tensed, the strong line of his shoulders going taut with strain. She let him get used to the idea until she saw him nod, almost imperceptibly, though his jaw was still clenched shut. She moved the fabric quickly up his torso, not wanting to prolong what was obviously a painful process. He lifted his arms some what reluctantly and she pulled it over his head, stretching up in order to do so and pressing their chests together.

As soon as the article of clothing was gone Daryl pressed them backwards, his hand behind her back as he lowered her to the rather scratchy carpet. He kissed her vigorously and for a moment she allowed herself to forget her curiosity as their bodies slid against each other. The sensation was one Kate had not felt in a long, long time and she enjoyed the warm bubble that their bodies created. Daryl had captured both her hands, pulling them slightly above her head as he rested on his elbows. She writhed beneath him, brushing their hips together causing Daryl to hiss and bite down on her neck where he was currently mouthing near her collarbone.

Kate sighed, a mewling sound slipping from her throat which caused Daryl to drop his hips down and grind against her. She whimpered again, nudging the side of his head with her nose and tugging slightly on his ear when her mouth came in contact with the smooth flesh. He got the hint and turned his head to press their lips together in a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss.

Kate managed to slide her hands out from his, wrapping them around his neck as she pushed up against him again. She began trailing her hands down his sides, bumping over the muscles along his ribcage, pausing about halfway when she felt his own hands slip underneath her and fiddle with her bra strap. After a moment of fumbling he cursed quietly and leaned back slightly, surprising her again with his strength, as he easily manipulated her around. She yelped quietly in surprised and grabbed him around his shoulder blades to steady herself.

He managed to get the contraption unlocked and she reluctantly unwrapped her arms from around him so that she could slide the straps off, trusting him to hold her up as she worked them off. Once the piece of clothing join their other ones somewhere neither of them really cared about he lowered her back down and resumed his ministrations on her neck, moving slowly downwards, leaving a trail of searing heat in the wake of his mouth, his hands tangled in her hair. When he reached the soft flesh of her nipple, already erect, he pushed his lips against it experimentally. Her breathing hitched and she tangled her fingers in his hair.

She felt him smirk against her skin and he began to continue mouthing the area. Making sure he was significantly distracted, she managed, despite the sparks of electricity that kept disconnecting her brain, to trail her hands under his arms and around to his back. As she expected, he stopped and picked his head up, he connected his gaze with hers and she smiled a kind, encouraging smile. He looked so…unsure in that moment, his lips swollen and red and shining slightly with saliva and his hair pushed up at several different angles. She traced her finger against the side of his ribcage, keeping her eyes on him.

"Alright?" She whispered, her voice coming out huskier than she expected.

She felt him inhale against her own ribcage and then he nodded. She slowly began moving her hands over the span of his broad shoulders. It took a few moments of mapping the expanse of his flesh before she felt the mountain range of mangled skin. Despite herself she took a sharp breath. He didn't pull away from her, as she expected, but he broke their eye contact, moving his starry night eyes to her collarbone where he brushed her hair away from the milky smooth expanse of her skin. She continued her travels with light touches of fingers but it didn't take long for her to lose count of just how many long strips of flesh had been forced apart years ago. Tectonic plates crashed back together on Daryl's once whole skin.

Kate felt tears sting behind her eyes and before she could get a hold of them one slipped from the corner, trailing towards her hairline. Surprisingly she felt him move his thumb and wipe the tear away from where his hands had been holding her head gently. She sniffled softly. "Sorry, it's just—how could anyone…" She trailed off, unable to finish her question.

Daryl hummed quietly and bent forward to rest his head on the ground next to hers. She could feel his breath on her shoulder. She moved her hands around to tug on his hair and he reluctantly lifted his head to look at her.

"It doesn't matter," she said guiding his lips down to hers. "It doesn't matter." She repeated, breathing the words into his mouth. He seemed to believe her because the kiss heated up from there. As he pressed down against her, she could feel the muscles of his abdomen against the soft flesh of her stomach. Their tongues played tag as they slowly built up their momentum again. Kate's hands trailed down Daryl's sides towards his hips. When they reached the fabric of his jeans she moved her hands around to the front and began to unbuckle them, brushing her palm against the solidity of his erection as she did so.

He growled hungrily against her lips before moving over towards her ear, where he nibbled on the soft flesh, making her hands falter slightly as she finally managed to unzip his pants and began pushing them down his hips. He moved his hands downwards as well and began pulling on the elastic fabric of her leggings.

She lifted her hips upwards as he practically ripped her leggings and underwear down her thighs in one motion. It took a few moments of detangling in order for her to get both legs out and discard the cotton fabrics. While she struggled out of her skintight bottoms, Daryl shimmied the rest of the way out of his jeans, kicking his shoes off as he went. Kate lay back down and her thighs quivered as Daryl's rough, warm palms moved down them, his thumbs resting in the crease between her thigh and center, his fingers gripping the flesh around her hips tenderly. He leaned back over her and caught their lips together, sealing them in a kiss.

Kate moaned softly into his mouth as she felt his thumbs begin to knead the soft skin on either side of her center. The flesh was sensitive to the touch and she growled and wiggled impatiently as he continued to explore, changing pressure and speed, though his thumbs never left their spot; teasing. She could feel her insides relaxing in anticipation and she began to arch up, only to find her hips pinned gently by Daryl hands. After a few minutes, Kate's heart was beating erratically and she could do nothing but tug half-heartedly at Daryl's hair as her head rolled from side to side.

Finally Daryl moved, though instead of doing anything to her he took his hands completely off of her, causing her to whine in impatience. He reached behind him and Kate dropped her hands from his hair, propping herself up to watch him with a raised eyebrow. He turned back around and twisted something around in his fingers.

"Coming prepared I see." Kate commented, which caused Daryl to snort. "Pun intended," she added as an afterthought.

"Jus' figured—"

Kate cut him off with another kiss, slyly maneuvering the condom out of his hand as she distracted him. "It's a good idea," she allowed, pulling back and looking at him with hooded eyes, pupils blown with arousal. "As cute as Judith is, the group should probably focus on one at a time."

Daryl smirked slightly and Kate ripped the corner of the foil packet with her teeth before taking it the rest of the way off with her fingers.

"How expired do you think this is?" Kate asked curiously, rolling the lubricated circle between her fingers.

Daryl shrugged. "Better than nothin'."

"I guess you're right," she agreed with a smile before craning her neck upwards to connect their lips again. As they kissed he trailed his hands up her sides, sending a shiver of pleasure through her. She could feel his arousal pressed against the inside of her thigh and she gently wrapped her hand around it. He moaned into her mouth, a guttural, feral growl that rumbled through his chest and into hers, causing an earthquake of sensation through her body. Her hand fumbled for a moment before she was able to regain control of her motor function long enough to roll the condom down his shaft.

She felt him shift his hips as he rolled his shoulders and placed his forearms on either side of her head, making sure to gather her hair up and push it out of the way so that his elbows didn't pull out the long strands. Her hand still on his member, she guided it to her entrance before she felt him rock his hips forward slightly, pushing into her opening.

She hissed and pulled back, clamping her thighs on either side of his hips. He stopped, and picked his head up from where he'd been mouthing along her jaw. "Ya' alright?" He asked gruffly though she couldn't detect any anger in his voice.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She began, feeling her breath speed up slightly as tears rose unbidden to her eyes. As he realized that something was wrong he sat up a bit so that he could look into her eyes more fully, she felt his finger brushing against her forehead comfortingly.

"Don't gotta apologize," he said quietly, though his eyes were confused as he peered at her.

Her breathing calmed after a minute and the vice-like grip that her hands had on his biceps slackened.

"But…ya' wanna tell me what's wrong?" He cocked his head slightly, reminding her of a curious dog.

She turned her face away from him so that she was peering out into the dark abyss of the library. She sniffled once, removing her hand from his arm to wipe across her eyes.

"Is…uh—you've don't this before, haven'tcha?" He questioned awkwardly, clearing his throat.

She barked a small laugh and turned back to him. "Yeah, yeah. It's just…the last couple of times wasn't…it wasn't so great." Her eyes were dark as she flicked them away from him. She felt him tense over her. "Don't worry about it though." She mumbled into her hair, where she had turned her face away again, pressing it as far as she could into the carpet.

"If I ain't suppose ta' worry, ya' gotta look at me," Daryl's voice was uncharacteristically soft, which alone was enough to make Kate connect her multi-colored eyes, though she was sure they just looked dark brown, to his blue ones. He smiled softly at her. "If ya' don't wanna, we don't gotta," he confirmed, practically tossing her same words back at her. And she realized, with a jolt that travelled down into her stomach, that just like when she had said it to him earlier, he meant it.

She laughed slightly before reaching her neck up to kiss him gently on the mouth. "Yes." She whispered against his lips, her hands tangled in his hair at the base of his neck, where sweat had plastered the dark strands together. She pressed her forehead against his as he reached between them to reposition himself. Slowly he tilted his hips downward, entering her without haste. Her muscles clenched at first and both of them hissed at the sensation before she relaxed slightly and dropped her head backwards.

When he was fully inside her he began to rock slightly, moving his hand up further to brush against her sensitive nerves. She cried out softly, squeezing her eyes shut against the stars that danced across her vision, lifting her hips up to bring them fully together. She wrapped a leg around the backs of his thighs, anchoring them together as he began to move, slowly but picking up speed, circling her clitoris in time with his thrusts.

"Yes," she sighed, pulling at his hair before releasing the strands to rake her fingers down the backs of his shoulders, feeling the flexing muscles there and practically forgetting the scars that littered his back. He dropped his head, breathing against the curve of her neck and nuzzling his nose into her hair.

His thrusts began to get more erratic and her thighs quivered as she could feel the burning sensation behind her navel, she began to feel that amazing, out-of-body dizziness. "Oh—Daryl," she panted into his shoulder. "I'm—I'm—" she clenched around him and felt her walls begin to shake. "Daryl…" she whined as stars burst behind her eyes and her toes curled into the thick carpet beneath them.

Daryl continued rocking his hips down into her, growling low and primal in her ear, his hand moving from her tender center to press into her hip. It took only a few seconds before his hips paused and shuttered. "Kate." Her name rumbled in his chest as he reached his release. She felt his abs contract and she trailed her hands up and down his back when he collapsed on top of her.

They panted for a few moments, regaining their breath and function of their limbs. Kate began tracing circles on Daryl's back, bumping over his scars at random intervals. He kissed the joint of her neck and shoulder a few times as he got control of his breathing. Eventually he pulled away from her and took off the condom tying it and placing it on the floor a few feet from where they were laying. Kate flipped over and crawled towards her sweater and bra, shrugging into her clothes. She felt something hit her back and turned around to see her leggings, tangled up with her underwear, next to her. She shimmed them on, determined to stay lying on the ground, unsure that she could stand walking. She crawled back over the warmth of where she'd been laying before on the rug.

Daryl joined her on the floor, wearing just his jeans, which he had tugged back on while she was getting dressed. She reached for her book, which was laying discarded a few inches away from her outstretched fingers. She felt Daryl hook an arm around her waist as she stretched to grab the book. She giggled and wiggle away from him so she could slide across the floor and get the paperback. When she returned, Daryl was lying on his side with his head propped up by his hand. He had made a lumpy pillow for her out of his jacket, while he used his shirt.

She smiled and looked at him from beneath her eyelashes, leaning down to kiss him softly on the lips before turning around and snuggling against him, her back to his chest. She felt his arm wrap around her waist. "I'm going to—" she began but stopped and rethought her words. She turned so that she was lying on her back, looking up at Daryl. She reached one hand up and stroked his cheek; he smirked and bent down to give her another kiss. "I love you," she breathed as he pulled away.

He stopped suddenly and looked down at her, his eyes hooded with tiredness, although they widened slightly. "Mmm?" He hummed, his brows knitted together in confusion.

"You heard me," she smiled, but repeated herself anyway: "I love you."

He blinked for a moment and then opened his mouth as if to say something but she held a finger to his lips.

"You don't have to say it if you don't want," she told him. "I just thought you should know. It's silly." She shrugged and rolled back over. Propping her head up in a similar way to how Daryl was laying. She felt him tracing patterns on her bicep and she smiled.

"Whatcha readin'?" He asked quietly, his breath tickling her ear.

"Harry Potter, the first one, it's my favorite." She shrugged a shoulder, displacing his hand from her arm, but he just wrapped it around her waist and kissed the side of her neck.

"Read ta' me?"

She smiled brightly, even though she knew he couldn't see. "Want me to start at the beginning?"

"How else am I supposed ta' know what's goin' on?" He asked, chuckling.

She craned her head to look at him with exasperation. "You've never read Harry Potter?"

"Nope."

She sighed through her nose and turned back around, shaking her head slightly. "I don't know why I'm surprised."

"Me neither," Daryl chuckled, moving the hair way from her neck so that he could trail his fingers back and forth along her collarbone.

"Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal thank you very—"

"I love ya' too." Daryl admitted softly into her ear.

She paused her reading and smiled to herself, feeling her heart flip over in her chest. Daryl had gone still behind her and she didn't have to look at his face to picture the surprise at himself for blurting out his confession. She cleared her throat, managing to get control of the goofy grin plastered across her face. "You interrupted me."

"Sorry, Princess," he grouched, gently pinching the flesh of her hip.

She continued reading until she felt his head slip from his hand. It didn't take long, hardly three pages. She folded the page down and laid it a few inches away so that neither of them would roll over on it. Daryl circled his arms around her waist as she rolled over and leaned across his chest to grab his poncho and drape it over them. She snuggled down against his bare chest and fell, quickly, asleep to the sound of his heart beating.


	19. Fire and Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy y'all!  
> Oh my god, so we made it. This is the end (of the first part anyway!) I just wanted to say, thank you for all of those who stuck with this story despite my sporadic updating and I hope you will look around for the sequel when I finally get it posted (hopefully by the end of the month, I have a break from school and I'm planning on doing A LOT of writing). Anyway, please enjoy the final installment of this part of my series. It was quite a ride and I'm glad to share it with all of you.
> 
> *TRIGGER WARNING*: Gratuitous gore and violence, so, be careful if that stuff gets you.

> _Some say the world will end in fire_
> 
> _Some say in ice,_
> 
> _From what I’ve tasted of desire,_
> 
> _I hold with those who favor fire._
> 
> _But if the world should perish twice,_
> 
> _I think I know enough of hate_
> 
> _To say that for destruction ice_
> 
> _Is also great_
> 
> _And would suffice_
> 
> \- “Fire and Ice” by _Robert Frost_

 

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Fire and Ice**

When Kate awoke she was shivering and alone. She stretched her hand out to where Daryl had lay last night next to her to find his place empty. She curled in on herself, shivering for a few moments before she realized that sun was streaming in from the window above her. She sighed and sat up, the poncho, which Daryl must’ve laid over her before he left for patrol, slid into her lap. She shrugged the massive, heavy fabric over her head before zipping up her boots and padding out into the hallway. She stopped in the bathrooms on the way up to the cellblock. Her hair was a mess. She grabbed one of the communal brushes, quickly running it through her hair before putting it in a braid and tossing it over her shoulder.

She emerged from the tunnel to an empty room. She quickly made her way to her cell at the end of the block, managing to slip in unseen. Swapping the poncho for her leather jacket, which she tugged over her blue sweater and zipped up half way against the bitter cold in her bones. When she exited the cell again she was buckling her belt which strapped her knife and gun to her hips. The sound of a four legged animal heading towards her made her look up. Taft was trotting towards her, tail wagging slightly, followed by Carl who was looking at her suspiciously.

“Why do you have Daryl’s poncho?” He raised on of his eyebrows, it disappeared into his long brown hair.

“He let me borrow it yesterday, I was cold.” She hoped that the blush that was spreading across her cheeks could be disguised by the cold wind that wiped mercilessly through the prison.

Carl looked her up and down but then shrugged and walked past her, up the stairs, and disappeared into his room. Her idea to return the poncho to Daryl’s room was thwarted so she returned it to her room, tossing it on the bed and figuring she would just get it to him later. She patted her thigh to get Taft’s attention and then headed out into the main block towards the exit, hoping the sunshine would help soothe the chill in her. Shivering she stepped out into the sunlight, the faithful golden retriever at her side. It was bright outside but the biting cold was unrelenting and a cool wind wiped at her face, causing her to bury her face in the maroon scarf she was wearing.

Shielding her eyes from the sun she glanced around, it was quiet outside, but she saw the Greene girls off to one side, tending to the last remaining flowers in the bed along side the prison. She made her way over to them, her hand shoved deep into her pockets. They looked up when they saw her coming, the two straightened and put their hands on their hips, identical smirks gracing the sisters’ faces. She stopped about a yard away and raised an eyebrow wearily.

"Should I just turn back around?” She was smiling slightly, though it was hidden behind her large scarf.

Beth giggled and Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Glenn mentioned he never saw you after he got back from the run,” Maggie accused.

"I saw Daryl heading down to the library when I left the bathroom last night,” Beth added helpfully, unable to contain the grin that was spreading over her face; biting her lips to try and keep it contained.

Kate took a few more cautious steps towards the women, before looking around to make sure the coast was clear. “Yeah, so we may’ve.”

Beth squealed lightly and Maggie punched Kate in the arm. “You have to tell us everything”, “Everything!” The sisters insisted together.

 Kate was blushing hard now, all the way to the tip of her ears; the cold had nothing to do with the blood pressed against the sensitive skin of her face. “I don’t—“

A loud bang tossed Kate forwards, falling onto the potted plants, breaking one of the terra cotta ceramics, slicing the palm of her hand shallowly. She stumbled backwards, shaking her head and looking around. Thick grey smoke was hanging, still, in the air and she could barely make out the forms of Beth and Maggie clinging to each other and helping one another up. She turned towards the outer part of the prison and saw that one of the watch towers had been blown to oblivion right above them. Her ears were ringing but she could hear the muffled sound of someone screaming as if they were on the other side of a long tunnel.

A hand wrapped around her arm and she stumbled behind the Greene girls out of the cloud of smoke. She blinked blearily as they stepped into the sun, gripping onto the chain link fence. There was a tank sitting outside the gates and she could make out the forms of several figures exiting the few vehicles that spread out behind it. She shook her head and turned to look at Maggie and Beth.

"Are y’all alright?”

They both nodded, though their eyes were as confused as hers were.

“Kate!” She spun around at the sound of Daryl’s voice to see him running towards her, Rick hot on his heels. He stopped short in front of her and rested his hand in the space between her neck and shoulder, gripping almost too tightly, though Kate couldn’t find herself caring. She leaned into his frantic touch.

“What happened?” Rick was addressing the three girls.

"Dad!” Carl shouted before the women had a chance to respond. “It’s him!” Carl pointed to the tall figure standing in front of the tank. Without the eye patch Kate realized he had probably been quite attractive. This must be the man that had loomed over all of them in threat. She felt her stomach drop at the thought. The Governor was shouting something, and Rick was shouting something back, though she was in too much shock to register what was happening.

Suddenly, Rick was moving past her towards the gates. Her hand shot out to grab at his jacket sleeve. He blinked down at her before gently removing the fabric from her grip and pressing his lips into a thin line. His eyes were hard and uncompromising. Kate swallowed harshly, feeling her throat tighten with trepidation. Rick leaned in close to her so that he could whisper to Daryl but she couldn’t catch the words, though she felt Daryl nod, his chin brushing her head as Rick pulled away.

And then Rick was through the gates and Kate decided that was already too far. Daryl moved away from her and in her shock she dropped her arms to the side and let him. He was back without much time passing, she had been trying to listen but they were too far away. The Governor had paraded Hershel and Michonne out in front of them and Kate’s stomach was twisting in anxiety, her fingers twitching with her need to do something, although she knew whatever Rick was trying to do would not work if they all just started shooting. Carl was standing beside her and the Greene girls were a few paces away. Carl was down on one knee, rifle muzzle resting in one of the chain-linked diamonds. Taft pressed against her legs, whining. She felt the press of cool metal against her leg through her leggings and turned slightly to see Daryl resting a semi-automatic next to her. She reached behind it, gripping it tightly, letting her hand brush against Daryl’s, he squeezed it slightly before moving to her other side. She stepped away a few inches so that Daryl could situate himself between Kate and Carl, as he wanted. He knelt next to the boy and she could hear him whispering encouraging, calming words to the boy who may as well be his nephew. She placed a hand on his head, carding through his hair once before dropping it to the back of his neck. She felt him lean slightly into her leg and although she was shaking, the weight of his muscled shoulder pushed against her was grounding.

Everything happened so quickly after that. There was a glint of metal and the arch of Michonne’s katana swept down, sprouting red from the side of Hershel’s neck. Kate’s legs would’ve buckled from under her if Daryl’s hand had not shot out to squeeze at the back of her thigh. Taft whined at the sound of Maggie’s grief-stricken cry and Beth’s heart-shattering cry of “Daddy”! The sound of gunfire erupted in the air and soon the smoke from the guns clouded her vision and she could no longer see Rick in the field.

It devolved into chaos from there. She watched, tears stinging her eyes, as the tank mowed down their fences as if they were paper mache. More people were running towards her, past her, to meet their enemy head on. Soon Carl was up and running towards the main fray, though Daryl attempted to grab his jacket and Kate called out desperately after him. After a few more minutes of attempting to stop the oncoming army Daryl got to his feet and spun towards Kate, who dropped her weapon as he looked at her.

They stared at each other for what seemed like a long, long moment, ignoring everything else around them. Daryl’s eyes were desperate and panicked, a look probably reflected in Kate’s, though his were simultaneously attempting to form a plan. He gripped her neck again and pulled her towards him, kissing her roughly on the lips. “I need ya ta get out of here.”

She shook her head, grabbing onto one of his hands. “Daryl, I’m not—“

“Jus’ listen ta me. I need ya to get outta here. I promise. I’ll come find ya when it’s over. They haven’t spread to the west gate yet. Use yer knife. Cut a hole and git out. I’ll come find ya, run towards the woods. Make sure ya leave a path—“

“I don’t know—“

“Break a couple branches, step down hard in the mud. I know the tract of your boots, I’ll find ya but ya gotta leave.”

Kate was shaking her head, tears spilling adamantly out of her eyes. “But what if—“

“I will find you.” Daryl cut her off again, kissing her hard and then pressing his lips to her forehead. She could feel the hot liquid of a tear drip onto her scalp. He let her sob for a moment into his jacket that smelled of sweat and dirt and everything Daryl. After too short of a time Daryl pushed her away towards the west side of the prison. A few of the people had already penetrated the inner gates and gun fire rained down on them, the creaking threat of the tank growing closer every moment. “Go!”

Kate nodded and turned, with one final look behind her she took off at a run, Taft barking and following at her heels. The entire prison was filled with smoke, it filled her lungs and soon she was walking hurriedly, her breath rasping in her lungs. Ash rained down into her hair and blood was continuing to drip steadily from her palm. There was a hole in the side of A Block as she passed it; she had to duck behind the rubble of concrete when she heard footsteps hurrying towards her, followed by the rasping sounds of the dead. She did not know whether it was friend or foe before Tyreese came into view. He was running by with Lizzie and Mika, who were using him as a shield. His back was towards her but it look like he was holding something in his arms, attempting to keep both the girls sheltered while also concerned about whatever was held in his grasp.

Taft cowered next to her, she could feel his small body shaking next to her, and she put a hand on the scruff of his neck, burying her hand in the warmth of his fur. He whined and licked at her cheek, which had been cut by the rubble falling around them as the wound in the side of the prison settled. She breathed harshly, in gasping pants, that burst into warm clouds in front of her face, drifting to mingle with the smoke-filled debris that was settled around the prison. Daryl had been right, so far this side of the prison, of their home, was currently abandoned, and she could see the corner of the fence line, she knew that just beyond it was her escape and refuge. She sat forwards, rocking forward on her haunches and getting ready to sprint for it.

Before she even stood something grabbed onto her braid, which had been hanging down her back, and yanked her onto her ass. She screamed when the putrid smell of rotted flesh filled her nostrils. A walker was rasping at her, clacking its jaws as it knelt down to bite her. She dug her uninjured hand against the side of its skull, attempting to gouge its eye out but the thing kept coming despite the sickening squelch of the eyeball bursting beneath her nail. Suddenly, the undead was knocked to the side by a flash of gold. She sat up, still screaming and shaking to see Taft on top of the walker that had almost managed to tear her throat out with its teeth, Taft’s jaw sunk into its larynx. He was growling loudly and savagely. Kate watched in horror, her hands slick with blood and gore attempting to yank her knife out of its sheath at her hip.

“No!” She screamed as she saw the Walker arch its neck and tear into the flesh of Taft’s shoulder. The dog whimpered and released its prey, jumping away and limping back towards Kate. She gave up on attempting to get her knife out of its holding and instead pulled her Wesson and clicked the hammer back, flipping the safety as the walker rolled onto it’s side. She managed to get a direct shot at his head. He fell back over, unmoving and no longer a threat. She knew she had to move, that the sound was loud and echoing, sure to draw a few more walkers down towards her, or at least notify the enemy of someone they had over looked, despite the rancorous noise around them. Yet, Taft was whimpering, holding his injured side up from the ground and attempting to lick at his wounds. She did not want to leave the faithful companion but she must move quickly. With a strangled cry she picked up the dog, straining her ribs which still twinged from time to time from her incident at Wal-Mart.

“C’mon, baby,” she whispered soothingly to the dog as he licked her chin with a whine. Kate was thankful that she had managed to slip pass the bulk of the fighting. It did not take her long to make her way towards the fence. She lay Taft on the ground, he whimpered in pain as she placed him as gently as she could, attempting to jostle the wound in his shoulder as little as possible. Blood was steadily dripping from it and his amber eyes kept being concealed as his eyelids drooped tiredly. She scrubbed the edge of her sleeve against her face before pulling out her knife and beginning to saw at the fence, flecks of silver sprinkling over her hands and drifting to the ground. Her fingers soon became numb with cold and as she panted and worked she could feel a knot begin to form in her shoulder.

It took a few minutes but she managed to break enough of the diamonds that if she lay on her stomach she could squeeze through the gap. She re-sheathed her knife, checking around her to make sure there was no one who would make her vulnerable as she crawled through the fence. One jagged piece scraped down the side of her face and she muffled her yell by biting her cheek, closing her eye just in time to keep it from being scratched right down the middle.

She wiggled underneath the fence with her eye closed; she could feel the warm blood running down her face where the wire had sliced open her skin from her forehead to just above her lip. She turned around and, as gently as she could, maneuvered Taft through the hole, though he had bled even more and was barely responsive, his golden coat dyed red with the liquid pouring from him, hot and fresh, steaming in the early morning air.

Kate managed to scoop him up in her arms, breathing heavily she stumbled across the small creek that separated her from the edge of the woods. She made it to the other side, thankful that the creek was more of a ditch and she hadn’t gotten her feet wet as she went over. She stumbled forward suddenly when the weight in her arm suddenly felt twice as heavy. Her stomach dropped as she knelt down and Taft rolled out of her arms, unmoving.

“No, no. No!” She buried her hands into the fur on his uninjured side. His body was still warm but she knew that he was gone, the stress from the injury too much. Hot tears rolled down her face, mixing into the gash on her cheek, though she barely felt the stinging of the salt in her wound. After a few moments she finally stopped her gasping sobs, reining in the pain that was ripping through her chest at the thought of the last piece of her friend, lifeless beneath her fingers. She sat back on her heels, uncaring that she was sitting in the open of no man’s land between the tree line and the war-torn prison.

The trees rustled and she looked up, her hand going to her gun. A young man with a scruffy beard and a confused look in his eyes stepped out of the woods. She cocked the hammer back and pointed it between the man’s eyes. He was not familiar to her, there were only about a hundred people at the prison, and she was pretty sure she knew all of them by face at the very least, if not name. “Who are you with?”

"Woah! Hey now!”

Kate’s heart was racing but her hand was steady as the man raised one of his hands, his other going to his hip. “Who are you with?”

“I don’t—I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Don’t give me that. Tell me or I’ll shoot you.”

The man jerked his hand to reveal a shining revolver at his hip. Before he could draw it fully Kate pulled the trigger of her silver-blue Wesson. The shot was loud but true, striking the man in the face. Kate winced and averted her eyes, before leaning over to retch a white foam into the dead grass at her feet. She wiped her hand at the back of her mouth as she stood straight again at the sound of approaching feet. She turned to see a few walkers, who had been headed towards the prison, stumbling towards her at the sound of her gun going off.

With a last, longing look at the dog by her feet she took off, averting her gaze from the mystery man as she jumped over his body clumsily and broke through the trees in the woods. For a long time the only thing she was aware of was the pounding of her feet and the sounds of her harsh breathing and racing heart in her ears. She held her bleeding hand close to her body, attempting to mask the smell of fresh blood. She pulled her knife from her sheath as she ran, allowing the sharp edge to scrape against the bark of trees as she sprinted through the forest.

She ran forwards for a long time before veering to the left and then up again, attempting to zigzag and confuse the walkers on her tail. Soon, their rasping breaths faded away and she slowed her steps, though they still thumped rhythmically against the slick rain-soaked dirt of the woods. She didn’t know how long she ran for, only that her chest was burning and the adrenaline was beginning to seep out of her bloodstream.

Finally, she collapsed against a particularly sturdy oak tree, the rough bark scratching against her forehead as she rested against it, breathing harshly. Her lungs stung so bad, it felt like her throat was bleeding, she could taste the blood in the back of her throat, mixed with the bile she had vomited earlier. She spit a large chunk of phlegm onto the ground and stood up straight. She attempted to wipe the access of blood from her palm onto her leggings, which had ripped in the knee at some point that she was unaware of.

She catalogued her injuries. Her palm was pulsing steadily with every heartbeat, pain throbbing through the ragged wound that was no longer bleeding but was a mangled, tangle of flesh and debris. Pieces of black dirt and grey cement clung to the exposed meat of her hand. She knew that she should probably rinse it but there was no sound of running water and she knew she did not have the energy to search for it. Every blink hurt and she reached up with her right hand, which was decidedly more clean, and traced the long, jagged stripe that went from her hairline, over the sensitive flesh of her eyelid, down to just above her lip. Prodding gently at it she hissed when the cut protested by cracking from the measly scabbing and began to bleed again on her cheek.

Her ribs, which were obviously not completely healed from the month before, were sending shocks of pain with every ragged breath she drew but she figured they had not re-broken and that the small fissures in the bone would heal with time. Looking around she noted she was alone, by looking up she could see nothing of the sky, too deep in the woods. Having no idea how long she had been running making a guess as to what time it was seemed impossible. All she could do for now was wait; though, she was so exhausted, she just wanted to curl up and sleep for days.

The tree she was leaning against had quite a few low branches and with a heavy sigh, which her ribs protested greatly, she hooked her foot on the closest branch and heaved herself up. It was long and painstaking. Every time she grabbed at a new limb with her injured hand she had to fight back the darkness that pricked at the edge of her conscious. Every time she stretched upwards her ribs shuddered in protest. Finally, she felt she was high enough to not be reached by wandering walker fingers. She collapsed upon the sturdy branch she had chosen, on her back, letting one of her hands hang down while she wrapped her legs around the limb. It was precarious but she may be able to get a bit of sleep, seeing as she was a steady sleeper, who barely moved at all.

Her body gave her no real chance to consider the danger of sleeping in trees. As soon as she was moderately comfortable her mind practically forced her into sleep, she may’ve even passed out, darkness coming suddenly and unwanted. She was woken at some undetermined time much later, the forest was darker and she was being tugged sideways. Thankfully, her legs, strong from riding all those years, clenched the wood between her thighs. She rolled her head to the side, coming eye to dead, beady eye with a walker which had managed to throw its mangled body up the first two limbs and was yanking harshly on her leather sleeve.

Suppressing a scream she yanked out of the dead woman’s grip, almost falling off the other side of the tree in her fear to get away. She was pinned down, trapped, unable to scoot further up the tree limb. She managed to sit up, her legs dangling down, but the walker was too close to the trunk of the tree and she could not risk standing, for she was too high from the ground for a fall to be any good at all, especially with her already damaged ribs.

Before the walker could become any more of a threat it was yanked out of the tree by the back of its tattered dress. There was the telltale squelch of brains being scattered on the forest floor beneath her. She was still and silent, drawing her legs up as quietly as she could, heart in her throat, pounding with fear. It was impossible to tell if her savior was friend or foe. Had she not run as far as she thought? In the darkness of the early night she could just make out two figures below her. She stayed as immobile as she could manage without falling out off of her perch, hoping she was far enough up that the unknown darkness of the trees would deter anyone from getting closer.

“Maybe it was going after a squirrel,” a female voice whispered to her companion.

Kate strained her ears to pick up a reply but it was long coming from the silent figure. When he finally did speak Kate almost fell out of the tree.

“Kate?” Daryl questioned quietly up into the darkness of the tree.

Tears sprang to her eyes before she could even manage to reply. Instead, she scrambled down, ungracefully from the limbs, her jacket getting caught and ripping in the back, white lining showing from the mark. She landed on the ground and collapsed against Daryl’s chest, her body wracked with sobs.

His arms wrapped around her, holding onto her tightly and she could feel the scruff of his beard against her forehead as he breathed in her scent, his nose pressed to her hair. His heart was hammering in his chest and she could feel him shaking. After a moment she pulled back, reaching her hands up to gently stroke his face. He gripped her palm in his hand, flipping it over with concern. She pulled it away and stepped back.

“I’m fine,” she assured him.

“I found ya,” he replied.

“You said you would. I believed you. God, I’m so glad to see you. Are you hurt?”

He shook his head, biting at his thumb. At that she noticed movement behind him, and she tensed before remembering there had been someone with him, a female. The woman stepped closer and in the scarce light the moon provided Kate could see Beth’s blonde hair at Daryl’s shoulder.

“Oh, Beth!” Kate enveloped the younger girl in her arms and the two cried for a few moments together, thankful for the comfort of a friend. Kate turned back to Daryl after they pulled back, their arms still draped around each other’s waists.

“The prison?” Kate questioned, dreading the answer, ice already settling in her stomach.

“Gone,” Daryl confirmed, looking down at his feet.

“Everyone?”

“We don’t know,” Beth supplied with a shrug. “They could’ve escaped, like us. But we didn’t see anyone.” Her blue eyes were sparkling, even in the dense light of the darkened forest.

Kate put a hand to her mouth, her own tears spilling out of her eyes like a stream overflowing with rain water. _Carl, Michonne, Rick, Glenn, Maggie, Tyreese, Sasha, Judith._ The names came to her with every beat of her heart. She could barely process any of it.

“C’mon. We gotta make camp. You’ve gotta clean that cut, a stream ain’t gonna be far from here.” Daryl turned away without waiting for either of the women to reply.

The two fell in step behind him in silence, holding hands so that they did not stray far from each other in the dark.

“Aren’t we going to look for them?”

“Ain’t nothin’ we can do ‘bout it tonight,” Daryl replied flatly.

“In the morning?” Kate’s voice was thick.

There was no response but Beth squeezed her hand. After a few minutes, sure as Daryl said they came to a small stream. It wasn’t until she heard the trickle of the running water that she realized how thirsty she was. She fell to her knees and plunged her hands into the cold water. She cupped water into her hands, not caring if the water left a tang of blood in her mouth from her wound. After she and her companions drank as much as they could she sat on her haunches and scrubbed out her wound on her hand.

She pulled up her jacket, sweater, and thermal shirt to reach the black tank top underneath. Hooking her finger into a small hole and pulling down, she managed to rip the seam. She pulled the strip off with a forceful tug and began to wrap it around her palm. For a few moments she struggled with tying it off, holding one end in her teeth while trying to wrap the other end around it. Rough hands pulled her own away from the cloth and she looked up to see the top of Daryl’s head, he was bent over gently wrapping her hand more neatly and tying the strip of fabric in a knot at the back of her hand.

She smiled at him when he finally looked up. He reached a finger towards her face and she flinched when he ran the tip of his finger over the gash on her face. He shifted on his haunches, pulling his red handkerchief out of his pocket. He unfolded it and held it towards the moonbeams which filtered through the trees. Much of it was stained with black smudges of oil but he found a clean corner, wrapping it around his finger and dipping it in the water.

With his other hand he gently grabbed her chin, turning her face towards the moon so that he could see as he gently wiped the blood and dirt away. She hissed as he gently peeled back scrapes of scabbing that hid debris beneath them. A tear dripped down onto her thigh as she thought about how hideous the mark must look on her face, a gory tangle of flesh marring half her features. She closed her eyes and fought back the bile in her throat as she thought about how ridiculous it was she was thinking about appearances in their situation. It seemed some things from before could never be erased.

Beth was leaning quietly over Daryl’s shoulder, watching as he cleaned the wound. “It doesn’t look very deep, you won’t need stitches. We’ll just keep cleaning it. You should be alright,” she smiled helpfully but Kate could not look at her and the bright sparkle of her eyes.

After he was finished Daryl stood up, his knees popping in protest at the action. He turned and began slowly walking way. Beth helped Kate up and they followed after him like a pair of lost dogs. They walked until Kate felt like she was ready to collapse, unsure how far she could go. Finally, they came to a patch of trees that, to Kate, looked like every other patch of trees they had passed in the forest. But, apparently, they were more satisfactory to Daryl, and she was definitely not going to argue with his decision. He lay his crossbow down against the side of the tree and settled himself among the roots without a word, resting his head back on the trunk. Kate and Beth looked at each other before Kate took a few cautious steps forwards, settling herself down next to Daryl. She sat awkwardly for a moment, unsure how he would act to her proximity.

He surprised her though, by shifting slightly and pulling his arm out from between them, reaching around to drape it over her shoulder. She sighed and sunk down next to him, putting her head on his chest. Her injured ribs protected against his side. After a moment she heard movement and tensed but relaxed when she felt Beth curl behind her, pressed from head to toe, the blonde girl’s face resting on Kate’s shoulder. Kate felt Daryl shift again, stretching his arm out so that Beth could use it, instead of Kate’s bony side, as a pillow. Kate reached across with her injured hand and found Daryl’s other hand, which was lying near his crossbow. She traced the center of his palm with one of her fingers, unsure if she should request more of him but wanting nothing more than some sort of reassuring touch.

Daryl’s fingers twitched for a moment and she withdrew her hand slightly. Daryl’s followed though, and he grabbed her injured hand in his and linked their fingers together. He dropped his head forward to brush a kiss against her dirty brown hair. She hoped he couldn’t feel the tears that streamed from her eyes, soaking the front of his leather vest until she fell into a fitful sleep.

When they awoke the next morning the three of them were curled around each other like puppies, Kate was crushed under Daryl who had rolled on his side; his free hand tucked behind Beth’s back squeezing Kate between the two of them. She wiggled free, attempting not to wake either of them but failing miserably. They washed, used the restroom, and took silent inventory of their weapons. Kate was tempted to look at her reflection of the stream but chided herself over caring about such trivial things and refused to look; closing her eyes as she bent down the guzzle up as much water as she could, not knowing how much water she would have before they found something to carry it in.

Daryl set out along side the creek, silent as he had been since the night before. Beth and Kate followed demurely behind him for a while before Beth broke the morning silence, panting in the cold. “Daryl? What is our plan?”

Daryl did not turn back, continuing onwards as if he had not heard.

Beth strode forwards, hooking her hand through the crook of his elbow, promptly pulling him to a stop. “Where are we going?” She demanded.

“I don’t fuckin’ know, girl! Would you like to lead the way? Since you’re so damn concerned about where we headed.” Daryl’s voice was the threatening growl that Kate had not heard since that first time they had met in the woods all those months ago.

“Daryl, don’t,” Kate commanded quietly and both of her companions turned to her.

“You can’t fuckin’ tell me what the fuck ta do, we’s gonna follow this goddamn creek until we find somethin’ or nothin’. Ain’t nothin’ to find.” He tossed the stick he’d been twisting between his fingers for the last few hours into the stream on their right.

“Our family is still out there.” The words stuck in Kate’s throat, yet she forced them out anyway.

“You don’ believe that. No more than I do,” Daryl accused and Kate dropped her eyes.

Beth looked between them, a mix of horror and pity on her face. “Maybe I will lead, since apparently neither of you are going to help me find everyone. They could still be alive! They could’ve escaped like us!” She implored.

Neither Daryl or Kate graced her with a look; they were still staring fiercely at each other, unable to look away.

“Fine.” Beth threw up her hands. “Daryl, does this stream run parallel to the prison?”

Daryl snapped out of his brooding to look at Beth and shake his head slightly.

“Okay, well then we’re heading this way.” She turned on her heel and began marching left away from the stream. Both Kate and Daryl hesitated before falling in step behind her. They walked close to each other, not touching but occasionally brushing the cloth of their jackets against each other, both watching the determined blonde as she stormed ahead of them. Both lost in thought, wondering if they would ever see anyone else they loved again, the shock of the loss of their home still lodged in their throats, confusion and despair blocking their voices. Though Kate felt more hopeless than she ever had in her entire life she knew that she was with Daryl, who she knew, despite his attitude and hurt, would never leave her side. Their fingers brushed slightly, jarring her from her thoughts and she looked towards Daryl. He was looking steadily forwards, the expression on his face cold and unreadable but she felt as he stretched his hand out to gently tug on her jacket sleeve and she knew, regardless of the heartbreak, and heartache to come; that, they were going to get through this; together.


	20. Sequel Update

Hey y'all, I just wanted to tell you that I have the first chapter of the sequel finished, unfortunately, I am not posting it on AO3 though, for personal reasons. If you are interested I will be posting it on fanfiction.net, under the same username: MarisaKateBella. It is called "The Motionless Earth" go check it out if you'd like! Thank you.


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